Valentino Rossi drives past pit; 17th in GT debut at 3 Hours of Imola

Valentino Rossi made a mistake by driving past his pit in an otherwise solid start to his new car racing career on Sunday at the 3 Hours of Imola. 
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi

The MotoGP legend finished 17th in the GT Wo✅rld Challenge endurance🎃 race.

Rossi was 13th an hour🌳 from the end but, due to hand over the steering wheel to team-mate Frederic Vervisch, he made a crucial error in the pitlane by bypassing his crew and was forced to complete an extra lap, losing time in the process.

Rossi was in The A♏udi R8 Lms Evo II GT3 of the WRT team number 46 alongside Vervisch and Nic⛦o Muller.

‘The Doctor’ had largely▨ impressed in his first car race since ending an illustrious career on two wheels.

His best lap was 1:41.5, four tenths from his best performance in qualif💜ying.

Theᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ race was won by Dries Vanthoor, Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts for The No. 32 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II after starting on pole position.

Valentino Rossi to race in the UK

The next 🌠round of the GT World Challenge is April 30-May 1 at Brands Hatch.

Lewis Hamilton tells Valentino Rossi: MotoGP ‘more hardcore’ than F1

The motorsport legends came together for a joint interview having famously swapped their rides in 2019 for a fascinating few laps where Hamilton rode a Yamaha and Rossi d♔rove a Mercedes.

“I think MotoGP is more hardcore,” Hamilt🤪on admitted. “♒These guys don’t have seatbelts.

“When they have a crash, it is big. It is hard for them to impr💧ove safety.

“The fear factor for them is always there, and has been therꦅe for years.

Valentino Rossi, Valencia MotoGP. 14 November 2021. Image courtesy of MotoGP.com
Valentino Rossi, Valencia MotoGP. 14 November 2021. Image courtesy of MotoGP.com

“Our sport is getting safer and safer. 

“We watch [MotoGP] in complete ꧑shock. It is nerve-wracking.”

Rossi had said: “I am excited for a new adventure, racing with a car. It is the 🐟second chapter of my career.”

Hamilton asked: 🙈“When a꧙re you coming to Formula 1?”

Rossi: “Unfortunately I am too old!”

♔Hamilton explained: “🍰I have always loved bikes. When I was younger I wanted to race bikes, not cars.

“But my dad wouldn’t let me race bikes - he said they🐽 were too dangerous!

“He got me into four wheels rather than two.

“It was the right choice because if I was racing during the time Vale was ꦺthere, I wouldn’t 🧸have been so successful.

“Since I have been in Formula 1, I have a super-bike and I like to do some track days. It isꦉ fascinating. It gives a di🌱fferent perspective.”

Rossi said: “All the MotoGP riders love Formula 1, and the Formula 1 drivers love MotoGP. The two sports are at the top of motorsport and are very 🐼connected.

“To drive a car or to🐲 ride a motorcycle? It is different but also the same. The ༺lines are similar, and the braking. You have to be fast.

“If you can drive a car, you can also🌊 ride a bike, and the opposite.”

Hamilton: “Our skill is to adapt. On a bike you see lines that you wouldn’t normally take in a car. The braking is different but the goal is to get through as quickly as⛦ possible. We adapt - that is what we do best. It is second nature.

“I have been in a fighter jet and even that ✤felt natural!”

Hamilton and Rossi, French MotoGP 2013
Hamilton and Rossi, French MotoGP 2013

Rossi said about t🍷aking to the skies: “I am v𒐪ery scared but I want to try.”

Hamilton told him: “The perception of your speed i🏅s different. You are faster but it doesn’t feel as fast as a bike on the ground.

“In a plane, I blacked out. It was 8Gs aꦬnd I d🎉idn’t have a G-suit on.”

Rossi s💦aid: “Speed is excitin🐻g. It is something you get used to.

“The first time you try MotoGP you think it is impossible but you improve. Your brain reacts. I♔t is a great feeling.

“You are doing something very dangerous but with the feeling that, more or less, eve꧟rything is under control.”

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