28.08.2025Valentino Rossi: Enthusiasm for “Formula 1 of prototypes”

When a racing driver participates in a rookie test after winning nine world championship titles and leaving a lasting mark on his sport, it sounds like something that requires some explanation. However, the fact that the driver in question is Valentino Rossi should immediately shed some light on the situation. After two and a half decades at the top of the Motorcycle World Championship, Rossi's path didn't lead to racing retirement, but rather to motor racing and the World Endurance Championship.

The Italian made his debut there in 2024 as a BMW works driver in the M4 GT3, already bringing with him two full years of experience behind the wheel of GT3 cars. The "Doctor" and his teammates Ahmad Al Harthy and Maxime Martin finished the season in sixth place overall after two podium finishes. One day after the finale in Bahrain, Rossi took the next step on his automotive career ladder, switching from the production-based GT3 car to his Munich-based employer's purebred hypercar prototype, which is used in the top class of the World Endurance Championship.

The highly anticipated hypercar debut took place at the WEC Rookie Test, held annually immediately after the season finale. Here, young drivers are given the opportunity to test with the teams and cars from the World Endurance Championship. It goes without saying that these are usually young drivers. At BMW, for example, there were two upstarts, Max Hesse and Dan Harper, from the Junior Team revived at the end of 2019. But even Valentino Rossi, then 45 years old, was able to participate in the rookie test without any hypercar experience.

The debutant completed a total of 69 laps in the M Hybrid V8 and was the second-fastest rookie behind Arthur Leclerc, brother of Formula 1 driver Charles, in the Ferrari hypercar. "The car is fantastic, very fast, and very powerful. The lap times were 15 seconds faster than in the GT3, and the tires offer great grip," Rossi enthused afterward. "Driving fast is very difficult, but it's a lot of fun. I have to thank him for this great experience and hope I get the chance to drive the car again."

However, his first race start in the hypercar is still pending. In the 2025 season following the test, Rossi will once again drive a BMW M4 in the GT3 class of the World Endurance Championship. Until further notice, Minichamps is offering a true-to-original commemoration of Valentino Rossi's Hypercar debut at the 2024 Rookie Test. The model of the BMW M Hybrid V8 in scale 1:18 includes a driver figure and is limited to 460 units.

BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 Bahrain WEC Rookie Test 2024 Valentino Rossi 1:18, RRP €139.95, item-no.: 155242046

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BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 Bahrain WEC Rookie-Test 2024 Valentino Rossi 1:18 Minichamps

139,95 €