04.03.2025Valentino Rossi and the myth of Le Mans

After entering GT-racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was one of the goals that Valentino Rossi and his team WRT worked on. In 2023, Rossi drove a BMW M4 GT3 for the first time on the 13.626-kilometer track in northwestern France at the Road To Le Mans - a support race for the endurance classic. A year later, the time had come. In the debut season of GT3 vehicles in the World Endurance Championship, the nine-time motorcycle world champion contested the entire WEC season, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, alongside Maxime Martin and Ahmad Al Harthy in the BMW M4 GT3 with starting number 46.

Before the highlight of the season, the season kicked off in Qatar, Imola and Spa-Francorchamps. After fourth place in the first race, Rossi was on the podium for the first time with second place in front of his home crowd in Italy. With these results behind them, the trio traveled to the Circuit de la Sarthe with high expectations.

For the 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the trio with starting number 46 secured twelfth starting position in the BMW M4 GT3 of Team WRT. The first third of the race was very promising. Rossi and his teammates worked their way up position by position and took the lead in the class in the evening. But around midnight, Ahmad Al Harthy lost control of the vehicle while in the lead and hit the track barrier. This damaged the BMW so badly that the team had to withdraw the vehicle. This meant that Valentino Rossi's debut ended prematurely.

Even though starting at the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a premiere for the doctor, he has known the Le Mans race track - at least in parts - very well for almost 30 years. In 1996, the then 17-year-old drove on the traditional French track for the first time in the 125cc class of the motorcycle world championship and secured the fastest lap in his very first race. Just one year later, he celebrated victory in the same class. After two further podium finishes in the 500cc class, he also won in MotoGP in 2002. In total, Rossi celebrated four victories at the French Grand Prix in his motorcycle career between 1996 and 2018 - three of them in MotoGP - eleven further podium finishes, five pole positions and eight fastest laps.

Based on his great successes on two wheels, Rossi's car was designed in blue and white with a striking yellow starting number at the world's biggest endurance race. This special BMW M4 GT3 was launched in a limited edition of 946 units in scale 1:18 by the manufacturer Minichamps. The model was manufactured in the usual high quality and has a true-to-original cockpit replica, a detailed engine compartment, steerable front wheels and opening hood, doors and trunk. The model was produced exclusively for ck-modelcars and is delivered in a high-quality collector's folding box.

BMW M4 GT3 #46 24h LeMans 2024 Rossi, Martin, Al Harthy 1:18 Minichamps, RRP €169.95, item-no.: 113242446

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BMW M4 GT3 #46 24h LeMans 2024 Rossi, Martin, Al Harthy 1:18 Minichamps

169,95 €