Valentino Rossi, the dream may be slipping away: "It wasn't possible..."

After his farewell to MotoGP in 2021, Valentino Rossi embarked on an adventure on four wheels. His dream tucked away in the drawer was to get behind the wheel of a Hypercar and take the overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A dream that risks never becoming reality...

Although the MotoGP legend successfully made the jump into the world of car racing, his assault on the top tier of endurance racing is proving difficult. Valentino Rossi has never hidden that his real goal is to drive a prototype, after spending a few years “paying his dues” with the touring cars he currently races. The champion from Tavullia also tested the BMW M Hybrid V8 during the rookie tests in Bahrain in 2024, leaving a very positive impression.

On that occasion he was just a tenth of a second off Arthur Leclerc’s times in the Ferrari, proving he has the ability to tame a car with that kind of power. But that speed didn’t translate into an official seat. Lately, The Doctor has worked both on track and behind the scenes to put together a Hypercar program for 2026. Unfortunately, not everything is going according to plan.

In an interview published by Motorsport.com, Valentino Rossi admitted he tried to drive a hypercar “but it wasn’t possible,” referring to that test in Bahrain. The nine-time world champion’s disappointment is palpable, even though he feels ready for the challenge. “All season we tried to get the hypercar to race next year, but unfortunately it wasn’t possible. It seems it’s difficult to race with the hypercar. I don’t know if it will happen, it’s a shame.”

The reason is simple. BMW has an enviable roster of factory drivers and a pool of young talents aiming for the top, leaving little room to maneuver—even for a highly media-savvy figure like the former MotoGP rider. A glimmer of hope appears across the Atlantic. Team WRT, Rossi’s trusted squad run by Vincent Vosse, will take over management of BMW’s GTP program in the North American IMSA championship.

Pure endurance events, like Sebring or Petit Le Mans, require extra drivers, and this could be the key. “It could be an opportunity, because WRT will also manage IMSA next year. So maybe it’s possible. I don’t know, I hope so,” continued the 46-year-old, who continues to successfully run the VR46 Academy. For 2026 the dream has essentially faded; the future remains to be seen...

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