Valentino Rossi secures podium finish in #46 BMW at Zandvoort
Valentino Rossi claimed a podium finish at Zandvoort in the GT World Challenge Europe on Saturday.
Tresor Orange1’s #40 Audi driven by Ricardo Feller and Mattia Drudi won the Sprint Cup race, ahead of the #69 Ferrari of Albert Costa and Thierry Vermeulen.
Rossi’s teammate Maxime Martin brought their Team WRT #46 BMW home in third place, another impressive outing on four wheels for the MotoGP legend.
Rossi had started from 15th but was soon up to ninth in the 60-minute race.
The #69 Ferrari threatened to steal a victory from the pole-sitting #40 Audi when a pitstop went wrong.
The Audi lost five seconds of time, meaning Costa could hand over his Ferrari to Vermeulen who exited in front.
Meanwhile Martin, having taking over from Rossi in the #46 BMW, passed the #44 CLRT Porsche then immediately the #25 Saintéloc Junior Team Audi to move into P3.
With five minutes to go, a mistake from Ferrari driver Drudi cost his team the eventual lead. The #40 Audi remained in front for the last four laps to take the chequered flag.
The Tresor Orange1 crew have a 2.5 point lead in the Sprint Cup drivers' championship above Ferrari ahead of Sunday's final race.
Rossi is expected to remain with Team WRT behind the wheel of a BMW in the 2024 GT World Challenge Europe season, which will be his third in a car. His main goal remains the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
