For MotoGP legend Rossi, racing in a support race was a massive step towards h🌌is ultimate g🍰oal of participating in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He had qualified in P2 but r🐼an out of luck when the r🌃ace began.

At the wheel of the #46 BMW M4 of Team W🐼RT, Rossi excellently took the lead of t🧸he GT3 category at the first chicane.

But, when t🐷rying to avoid prototypes on the first lap he slipped to sixth🧸.

Still, Rossi𒀰 was valiantly able to battle back to P2 when he handed over duties to teammate Jérôme Pol💞icand.

But a Ferrari sent Policand spinning, meaning the #46 crew were restricted to a P15𒊎 finish.

The second Road to Le Mans race is on Friday.

Results of race 1:

1. Ligier JS 𓆉P320 #58 Team Vi♊rage, Rich/Espirito Santo,

2. Duqueine M30 D08 #4, Melsom/Bell,

3. Ligier JS P320 #77 Team Thor, Gudmunds🅠son/Noble,

4. Ligier JS P320 #12 Racing Spirit of L🎐eman, Wolff/Doquin,

5. #320 Ligier JS P97 Cool Racing, Sanjuan/Droux.

GT3 standings:

1. BMW M4 GT3 #31 Team WRT, Whale/Hesse,

2. P𝔍orsche 911 GT3 R #86 HCR with Caffeinesix, Creswick/Fjordbach,

3. Ferrari 488 GT3 #74Kessel Racing, Cuhadarꦬoglu/Fumanelli.