Valentino Rossi Finishes Second in Imola 6 Hours Car Race

Valentino Rossi, the nine-time motorcycle world champion, finished second in the 6 Hours of Imola car race in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) on Sunday. Rossi was driving a BMW for Team WRT alongside teammates Maxime Martin and Ahmad Al Harthy.

The trio started the race in third position and Rossi had a stint of over three and a half hours of driving, during which their BMW even led the race at one point. However, the other BMW team of Augusto Farfus, Darren Leung, and Sean Gelael proved stronger, forcing Rossi and his teammates to settle for second place, finishing 22.838 seconds behind the winners.

The race was not without its challenges, with the arrival of the Safety Car and rain in the second half. "It was a great race, very tough, because after the start, the pace was very high," Rossi said after the race. "We led the race for a lot of time, but in the end, the other BMW was a bit faster."

Despite missing out on the victory, Rossi expressed happiness with the one-two finish for Team WRT and BMW M Motorsport. "I'm very happy because it's my first podium in the FIA WEC, and a one-two for Team WRT and BMW M Motorsport is a great result," he said.

Why this matters: Valentino Rossi's second-place finish in the Imola 6 Hours race marks a significant milestone in his transition from motorcycle racing to car racing. The strong performance brings Rossi closer to his ultimate goal of competing in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The result leaves Rossi, Al Harthy, and Martin in fourth place in the championship, 18 points behind the leaders. The next round of the WEC will take place at the 6 Hours of Monza on July 9, where Rossi and his teammates will look to build on their impressive step at Imola.

Key Takeaways

• Valentino Rossi finished 2nd in the 6 Hours of Imola car race in the WEC.
• Rossi's BMW led the race at one point but was ultimately beaten by another BMW team.
• Rossi's first WEC podium finish, a one-two for Team WRT and BMW M Motorsport.
• Rossi, Al Harthy, and Martin are 4th in the championship, 18 points behind leaders.
• Next race is the 6 Hours of Monza, where Rossi aims to build on Imola performance.