Rossi will drive a BMW M4 GT3 ready by Staff WRT within the second spherical of the Le Mans Cup, which types a part of the Street to Le Mans assist package deal.
This might be Rossi’s first style of the Circuit de la Sarthe, though he has beforehand pushed on the Bugatti structure that’s an annual fixture on the MotoGP calendar.
INTERVIEW: Valentino Rossi exclusive
His team-mate for the 2 55-minute races that may happen on Thursday and Friday forward of the centenary version of the French endurance traditional is but to be introduced.
It follows Rossi turning into a full-fledged BMW manufacturing unit driver this 12 months and revealing aspirations to go for outright honours at Le Mans in a Hypercar.
Rossi is because of take a look at the BMW M Hybrid automotive in some unspecified time in the future earlier than the tip of the 12 months forward of the German producer increasing its LMDh programme past the IMSA SportsCar Championship and into the World Endurance Championship in 2024.
The BMW M4 he’ll race on the Circuit de la Sarthe on 8 and 9 June can even develop into eligible to race at Le Mans subsequent 12 months as a part of the WEC adopting GT3 laws to interchange the outgoing GTE class.
In a latest interview with Autosport, Rossi reiterated his want to deal with the twice round the clock enduro, doubtlessly within the prime class.
“I wish to take part within the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” he stated. “Now I’m racing GT automobiles, however there would even be the potential of competing there with Hypercar.”
#46 Staff WRT BMW M4 GT3: Valentino Rossi, Maxime Martin, Augusto Farfus
Picture by: Luca Rossini
He’s at the moment competing in his second full-year of automotive racing – and first with BMW – together with his 2023 programme primarily centered on the GT World Problem Europe with WRT.
This 12 months’s Le Mans Cup grid will comprise a number of acquainted names, most notably ex-Corvette ace Jan Magnussen.
The daddy of Haas System 1 driver Kevin Magnussen will pull double responsibility through the week as he’s additionally attributable to race for the Inter Europol crew within the LMP2 Professional/Am division of the 24-hour traditional.
Aston Martin, Honda, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes and Lamborghini will all be represented within the Le Mans Cup.
Frederic Lequien, CEO of Le Mans Endurance Administration stated: “As soon as once more the Street to Le Mans has attracted a big entry with star names operating alongside the collection regulars and to have Valentino Rossi on the grid is a large increase for the occasion.
“It additionally demonstrates the significance of the Michelin Le Mans Cup in endurance racing. I want to want everybody collaborating within the 2023 Street to Le Mans the easiest of luck on this very particular anniversary 12 months for Le Mans.”