Rossi Confirmed for Indy 8H in BMW Team WRT Lineup

Photo: GTWC America

Valentino Rossi has been officially confirmed to take part in the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS, with the Silver-rated BMW M Motorsport factory driver set to line up alongside Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts in Team WRT’s No. 46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

Announced by the German manufacturer on Thursday, it follows months of speculation that the MotoGP legend-turned GT3 driver would be part of the Belgian squad’s lineup for the Oct. 16-18 enduro that will close out both the Intercontinental GT Challenge and GT World Challenge America powered by AWS seasons.

Rossi’s participation has largely been made possible due to a change in the sporting regulations for this year’s race, which has seen the elimination of the IGTC Pro class, resulting in all IGTC teams to align with GTWC America rules that mandate a Silver driver in each car contesting the top category.

The nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing world champion won on his debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 2008 MotoGP race and will be making his four-wheeled foray at The Brickyard.

WRT’s GTWC Europe Gold Cup competitor Al Faisal Al Zubar, who is also Silver-rated by the FIA, will fulfill the requirement in the team’s No. 777 BMW alongside Augusto Farfus and Raffaele Marciellio.

BMW has elected to split van der Linde and Marciello, who along with Weerts won last month’s Suzuka 1000km, in order to have two chances of securing the IGTC drivers’ championship.

The South African will enter Indianapolis with a five-point lead over Marciello, with Farfus and defending IGTC champion Weerts sitting third and fourth in the standings, respectively, but will now be locked out of a chance of the title due to being in the same cars as as their championship-leading teammates.

Van der Linde and Marciello will be the only two drivers mathematically possible to take the IGTC drivers’ crown, with fifth-placed Alessio Piciarello, of Porsche, not able overcome his current deficit of 40 points, with a maximum of 25 up for grabs in the season finale.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John