Martin stays with Rossi for WEC
Valentino Rossi will continue his partnership with Maxime Martin in 2024 when the motorcycle legend races in the World Endurance Championship for the first time. They’ll also be teamed at the WRT BMW squad for a programme of GT World Challenge Europe events.
Silver-rated Rossi and Martin will share with bronze driver Ahmad Al Harthy, who is moving across to race a WRT BMW M4 GT3 in the WEC after a maiden season in the series aboard a TF Sport Aston Martin in 2023. Rossi and Martin will race in the five GTWCE Endurance Cup rounds with new BMW signing Raffaele Marciello and contest the early-season Sprint Cup events at Brands Hatch and Misano as a duo.
WRT’S second WEC entry will be driven by Augusto Farfus, who like Rossi was confirmed at WRT on the release of the entry list in November, with team regular Sean Gelael and Darren Leung, who won last year’s British GT Championship with Dan Harper.
WRT will run a further Pro class M4 in the GTWCE enduros for the all-factory line-up of Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde and Charles Weerts. Vanthoor and Weerts will also contest the Sprint Cup in which they will be bidding for a fourth title in five seasons.
The BMW factory Rowe Racing team’s line-up for campaigns at the Nurburgring 24 Hours and in the GTWCE enduros has also been announced. Marciello and Robin Frijns are among the seven drivers named for a two-car assault at the ’Ring in June, though the combinations have yet to be released. Nick Yelloly, Marco Wittmann and Philipp Eng will continue together in the GTWCE after winning last year’s centrepiece Spa 24 Hours round, although the first two will not be available for the Monza round in September because of their IMSA Sportscar Championship commitments. Farfus will share the second car with Harper and Max Hesse.