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Rossi absent from BMW WEC LMGT3 line-up for 2026

BMW WEC Valentino Rossi WRT Ahmad Al Harthy Kelvin van der Linde

WRT BMW has rejigged its driver line-up for the 2026 World Endurance Championship, with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi departing the LMGT3 squad after two seasons.
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Rossi had been a central figure in BMW’s LMGT3 programme since the inception of the category in 2024, scoring four podiums across 16 appearances in the #46 M4 LMGT3.
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However, just a month after the conclusion of the 2025 season in which he, Kelvin van der Linde and Ahmad Al Harthy finished eighth in the standings, the silver-rated Italian has been dropped from the line-up.
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A press release revealing BMW and WRT’s two LMGT3 crews made no mention of Rossi, who turns 47 next year. His contract with the German manufacturer was due to expire at the end of the year, but it is expected that he will sign a new deal and return to GT World Challenge Europe, where he previously raced alongside his WEC commitments.

#46 Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3: Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, Kelvin Van Der Linde (Photo by: Shameem Fahath / Motorsport Network)
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