Rossi appointed BMW factory driver: first race at Bathurst

Valentino Rossi will officially make the switch to car racing in 2023. The Italian MotoGP legend is on BMW's list of factory drivers and will be in action at the Bathurst 12 Hours and GT World Challenge Europe in early 2023.

With nine world titles in MotoGP behind his name, Rossi left motorsport at the end of 2021. At 43, the Italian could retire, but ambitious as he is, he is now switching to car racing. In 2022, Rossi was already tasting sports car racing. On behalf of Team WRT, he already competed in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe in an Audi. In his first race in Imola, Rossi finished seventeenth.

Rossi will race in a BMW

In 2023, Rossi will now make the next step. Indeed, he has been presented by BMW as a factory driver for BMW M Team WRT. The first race is the 12 Hours of Bathurst, where Rossi will compete in the #46 BMW M4 GT3 alongside Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus. In BMW's second car, the #32, are Dries Vanthoor, Charles Weerts and Sheldon van der Linde.

''I am very proud to become an official BMW M works driver and it is a great opportunity,” said Rossi. “Last year I started racing seriously in cars and I finished my first season with the WRT team with whom I got on very well and I am very happy that the WRT team chose BMW M Motorsport as a new partner,'' Rossi commented in the BMW press release.

''I have already had a chance to test the BMW M4 GT3 twice and the feeling with the car is very good. I think we could be competitive next season. Also, BMW M Motorsport has given me the opportunity to race with two very strong drivers next year, Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus. I still have a lot to learn and improve, but I hope to be up to the task and fast enough to fight during the race weekends,'' the Italian concluded.