MotoGP Legend Valentino Rossi Joins Team WRT for 2022

Valentino Rossi and Team WRT R8

Rossi retired from MotoGP at the end of the 2021 season, but made no secret of his desire to keep racing.

In the two-wheeled world, Valentino Rossi needs no introduction. During his legendary career, the Italian MotoGP superstar won an astonishing nine Grand Prix world championships, and ushered in a new era of motorcycle racing’s premier class. Rossi retired from two-wheeled competition at the end of the 2021 season, but he made no secret of his desire to keep racing, and now we know he’s headed to Team WRT, where he’ll pilot an Audi R8 in the GT World Challenge Europe. Here’s his full statement about the move:

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 program 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.     

Given his celebrated status in the world of motorsport, this is unquestionably a huge get for Team WRT, and as a longtime fan of Rossi, I’m excited to see how his skills translate after adding an additional pair of wheels.

As of last month, he was already testing the Audi R8 LMS GT3 which WRT will run this season, so announcement comes as little surprise. In a nod to his past success on the track, his car will bear the number 46, which he has sported his entire career. Interestingly, that number has not been retired from MotoGP — though it’d take one hell of set of stones to put it on a race bike.

Official test days for 2022 GT World Challenge Series Europe kick off March 8th at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France, and the first race is set for one month later, at Monza in Italy. How exactly how Rossi and his teammates — which will include factory Audi drivers — will fare this season remains to be seen. But “The Doctor’s” presence in the pits is sure to create some excitement for the series, particularly in his home country. Until then, check out the video below to watch some of the best moments from Rossi’s extraordinary MotoGP career!

Photos: ValentinoRossi.com

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