BMW and Team WRT have confirmed a major change to their LMGT3 program for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, with Valentino Rossi no longer part of the WEC driver line-up. The decision ends Rossi’s two-year career on the series. It remains to be seen what his involvement with BMW Motorsport will be like in 2026.
Good results with BMW Motorsport
Rossi has been closely associated with BMW’s LMGT3 efforts since the category debuted in 2024. With the #46 BMW M4 LMGT3, the nine-time MotoGP world champion quickly became one of the most famous figures in the WEC paddock. In 16 starts, Rossi scored four podiums, including an impressive third place at Imola in only his second WEC appearance and another podium later that year at Fuji. He returned to the Imola podium again in 2025, although a penalty after contact ultimately denied him a realistic chance of a first-class victory.
The crew with start number 46, which they shared with Kelvin van der Linde and Ahmad Al Harthy, finished eighth in the LMGT3 standings in 2025. While the results were solid, the season was also marked by frustration, particularly at Le Mans. After an outstanding qualifying performance that put the car firmly in the race for class victory, an electrical problem during the night made it unsafe for the M4 to continue driving and forced it to retire from the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second time in a row. A strong run at the Circuit of the Americas later in the year, where the car finished second, highlighted the fundamental speed of the package.
Despite these highlights, Rossi was not mentioned in BMW and WRT’s press release announcing the 2026 LMGT3 lineups. The number 46 will be replaced by the number 69 BMW M4 LMGT3 with Anthony McIntosh, Dan Harper and Parker Thompson. Rossi, who turns 47 next year, had a BMW factory contract that expires at the end of 2025 and his future in the WEC was uncertain for most of the season.
Rossi’s history in GT racing
Since retiring from MotoGP at the end of 2021, Rossi has built a credible resume in GT racing. He joined WRT in the GT World Challenge Europe in 2022 and has since achieved three sprint race victories in the series as well as podium finishes in major endurance events such as the Bathurst 12 Hours, Gulf 12 Hours and Dubai 24 Hours. Even when he reduced his overall racing commitment in 2025, Rossi continued to appear at major events such as Bathurst and the Spa 24 Hours, securing another podium finish in Australia. He also played a role in WRT’s victory at the Indianapolis 8 Hour, the final round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, just before the 2025 WEC finale in Bahrain.
Rossi has made no secret of his ambition to move into the hypercar class. He tried out the BMW M Hybrid V8 at the 2024 rookie test in Bahrain and stated several times that the prototype suits his driving style better than GT3 machines. However, there is currently no sign that a hypercar program is imminent. The most likely next step seems to be a return to GT World Challenge Europe, where he previously combined sprint and endurance racing with his WEC commitments.
BMW M4 CS Edition VR46
Although Rossi’s WEC chapter with BMW has come to an end, his relationship with the brand remains broader than just racing. Earlier this year, BMW introduced the BMW M4 CS Edition VR46, a limited edition model developed in collaboration with Rossi and inspired by his iconic racing number and color palette. The car underlines Rossi’s continued relevance in BMW’s performance and lifestyle narrative, even as his role as a factory racer continues to evolve.
For WRT and BMW, the 2026 WEC season represents a fresh start on the LMGT3 side, with a younger driver lineup and a clearer focus on long-term development. For Rossi, it is another turning point in a post-MotoGP career that has already proven more substantial and competitive than many initially expected, even if a third season in the World Endurance Championship is no longer part of the plan.
[Source: Motorsport]
