Valentino Rossi chooses the GT World Challenge Europe Championship after MotoGP

9-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has chosen the Fanatec GT World Challenge Euro Championship as his first campaign in racing on four wheels. Rossi retired from MotoGP at the end of the 2021 season and now will join the Belgian squad, who by the way, are the reigning champion team of the championship.

Rossi has signed an agreement to contest the 10-round Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe and he will be participating in both Sprint and Endurance Cups. Rossi will drive the Audi R8 LMS which will also be sporting the iconic 46 badge in its original colours.

The WRT Team has been dominant in the Sprint Cup and is also a contender for the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa. Rossi is not new to this segment of motor racing. He has contested a pair of Endurance races at Monza and the Nürburgring during the 2012 season.

On signing, Valentino Rossi said, “I am delighted to join Team WRT for a full Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS programme. Everybody knows that I have always been a great car racing fan and that I have always been interested in racing on four wheels once my MotoGP career would come to an end. Now I am completely available to devote myself to a car racing programme at a high level and with the right professional approach. Team WRT is the perfect fit I was looking for and I am anxious to start this new adventure in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS with them.”

Vincent Vosse, WRT Team Principal said, “I am sure that a lot of fans will be as pleased as we are that Rossi is starting a new career on four wheels and that he is doing it in GT, with Team WRT and Audi. We all know what a great motorbike champion and sports figure Vale is, but most of all, he is a true racer and a very professional and competitive sportsman, eager to be as successful as possible in the new challenge he has decided to embrace. This is exactly why we really wanted to work with him. The test we made at Valencia was extremely positive for both parties, in terms of technical feedback and working approach, and we took things from there. We warmly welcome Vale in the WRT family and I am sure that we are off to a very exciting experience for both.”

Rossi’s first official test dates with the Team WRT are March 7 and 8, at Circuit Paul Ricard. The Endurance Cup season starts at Imola, while the Sprint Cup schedule gets underway at Brands Hatch on April 30. For more news and updates from the world of motorsport, stay tuned to evo India!