Valentino Rossi gets two Audi works drivers as teammates in the GT World Challenge Europe – large contingent of five Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II
Valentino Rossi’s team-mates have been decided: With Frederic Vervisch and Nico Müller in the Endurance Cup and Vervisch in the Sprint Cup, the motorbike legend and the Belgian team underline that they have high ambitions in sporting terms. They will be competing in the highest class, the Pro Cup.
Even if Rossi is not likely to keep up the absolute pace at the front right from the start, podium finishes (which he has stated as his goal) or even victories are definitely possible if the race progresses accordingly with safety car phases. Of course, the nine-time motorbike world champion is doing everything he can to be competitive himself as soon as possible.
He is currently meticulously preparing for his first season in the GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe. He was recently at Misano Adriatico, where a round of the Sprint Cup will take place. He drove in a black design with a few yellow decals in the colour of his characteristic starting number 46.
Before that, he was still present in Faenza, where he trained on a motocross machine with the riders from his VR46 academy. He also took the opportunity to get in the saddle himself.
WRT is bringing four more cars to the start. Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts are set for the overall title and will be joined in the Endurance Cup by Kelvin van der Linde. WRT is also represented in the newly created Gold Cup. In the ADAC GT Masters, however, the Belgian team will no longer be on the grid.
WRT will face tough competition in the Pro Cup. Especially in the Endurance Cup, the field is as strong as ever. Only recently, Getspeed announced a strong line-up with Maro Engel, Luca Stolz and Steijn Schothorst, who will be aiming for the title.
They will be up against strong fielded Lamborghinis from K-Pax (Caldarelli/Mapelli/Pepper) and Emil Frey (Altoe/Rougier/Roussel and Aitken/Bortolotti/Costa), BMW juniors Harper/Hesse/Verhagen and Catsburg/Farfus/Yelloly at Rowe Racing, Porsche trio Bachler/Cairoli/Ledogar at Dinamic and the JP-McLaren of Abril/Klien/Lind.
Iron Lynx will defend its title with Ferrari factory drivers, yet to be announced. In addition, a title-capable line-up is still expected at Car Collection. In the Sprint Cup, the field has yet to take shape, but is traditionally less crowded than the Endurance Cup.
