Valentino Rossi, the legendary motorcycle racer, will join forces with former Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen and BMW factory driver Rene Rast in a BMW M4 GT3 EVO for the iconic 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps endurance race on June 28-29. Competing under the WRT team banner, the trio represents BMW’s expanded lineup for the central round of the GT World Challenge Europe. Rossi transitions from WRT’s LMGT3 squad, while Magnussen and Rast move from the World Endurance Championship Hypercar program, marking an exciting collaboration for the Belgian endurance classic.
Rossi’s return to the GT World Challenge Europe is a highly anticipated one-off appearance, rekindling his involvement with the WRT team where he raced between 2022 and 2024. For Magnussen, this event will be only his second competition driving a GT car, having previously shared a Ferrari 488 GT3 at the 2022 Gulf 12 Hours alongside his father Jan Magnussen and Mark Kvamme. Meanwhile, Rast brings valuable experience as a two-time Spa winner with Audi before his move to BMW in 2023, adding a seasoned presence to the team.
The team announcement came during the official opening of WRT’s new headquarters in Bierset near Liege, with Rossi carrying his familiar #46 race number in this Pro Cup class entry. Excited and focused, Rossi commented,
“I am very happy to be back at the Spa 24 Hours: it is a great race – very demanding and difficult – on a fantastic and challenging track. The level of competition between the best GT cars, teams and drivers in the world is extremely high. I can’t wait to race there together with my great team-mates.”
Magnussen expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, describing the chance to compete at Spa as “a great pleasure.” This partnership reflects both drivers’ determination to perform at one of endurance racing’s most prestigious events, blending Rossi’s motorcycle racing resilience with Magnussen’s open-wheel racing background.
BMW’s presence at Spa will be formidable, with a five-car factory lineup including Rossi, Magnussen, Rast, and other BMW Hypercar drivers Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde, and Marco Wittmann. These drivers will pilot three works cars run by WRT, while an additional M4 will be shared by Kelvin van der Linde, Charles Weerts, and Ugo de Wilde, who recently clinched victory in the opening Endurance Cup round at Paul Ricard.
Rowe Racing will support BMW’s efforts with an extra factory entry driven by Philipp Eng, Dan Harper, and Max Hesse, alongside the established German team roster featuring Raffaele Marciello, Jesse Krohn, and Augusto Farfus, all seasoned Spa competitors. In total, WRT is fielding five M4 GT3 cars in different classes, contributing to BMW’s impressive tally of 11 entries for the race weekend.
The wider BMW roster is complemented by the regular series entrants Century Motorsport, Paradine Competition with two cars, and BMW Italia Ceccato Racing, underscoring BMW’s deep commitment to endurance racing. Racing fans will be able to watch the entire 24 Hours of Spa event live and for free via Motorsport.TV, offering extensive coverage of this eagerly awaited contest.
This collaboration between Valentino Rossi and Kevin Magnussen highlights a thrilling convergence of talents from different racing disciplines, promising a competitive challenge at one of motorsport’s defining endurance events. Beyond the excitement, this partnership symbolizes resilience and adaptability as Rossi embraces GT racing once again alongside renowned drivers and a leading manufacturer.
With fierce competition on the horizon, the Spa 24 Hours stands as a testament to teamwork, endurance, and skill, and the performance of Rossi and Magnussen will be closely watched by fans and experts alike. Their efforts could shape BMW’s success in the GT World Challenge Europe and energize the team‘s ambitions for the remainder of the racing season.
