Valentino Rossi: MotoGP icon on new GTWCE rivals - ‘I’m not far from top guys'

Valentino Rossi has thrown down the gauntlet to his new adversaries in the GT World Challenge after crossing over from MotoGP ahead of just his second race.
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi
© n/a

Rossi will drive a Team WRT Audi R8 at the G🐓T World Challenge Europe at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

His debut race at Imola was marred by a mistake in his team’s pit stop resulting in Rossi bypassing hi⛎s crew, losing time and eventually finishing💝 17th.

Asked what his hopes were for his first race since that error, Rossi said: “Before Imola, I did not know. After Imola, I think we can fight for seventh or eigh🧜th place, maybe s🌱ixth. The level is very high.

“The top 15 are very stro🎀ng. To stay in the top 10 is a good target. It will not be easy.

“My performance in Imola was not so bad. But during the 🐷weekend we had problems to face - first, qualifying you must do a lap before practice. This is very difficult.

“The good drivꦑers have a big difference comp♉ared to me.

“My lap times were not so bad. But I 🗹need to arrive at that performance earlier. I need to improve my skills. I am not far from the top guys but they are𒁏 faster than me.

“It is just the beginning of ಞthe season. I need to improve race-by-race.”

Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi

Swapping MotoGP for GT World Challenge

His team-mate on Sunday is Belgium’s Frédéric Vervischಌ, who has taken Rossi under his wing.

Vervischꦡ said about Rossi’s apprenticeship in a new sport: “The best I’ve had so far. I am eꦫxperienced with driver coaching. 

“Wh𓆏at he has done is impressive. He is being modest. You tell him something once, and he does it.

“For him - he t⛄ries, it doesn’t wor🐽k, he says ‘OK, try again’.

“He can do the same as us, or even better. He is just yet to bring it all togethe෴r.”

Sunday will be Rossi’s first race at Brands Hatch - his Mo🏅toGP appearances in the UK were at Donnington and Silverst🔜one.

He said on Friday: “It’s the fဣirst sprint race for me, so something different compared to the endurance race. You have to work a lot in the pit stops to not lo🌠se time.

“It is the first time for me at Brands Hatch anဣd, unfortunately during the winter we did not do a test, so I do not know the track.

“I tested the track on the simulator. It’s a great track, fantastic, difficult. There are a lot of place🍰s that are 🐻blind. The track is in fantastic condition with new asphalt.

“The team is very high level. All the guys that work around the car can help me improve my skiꩵlls.”

The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.

Here’s how to live stream the 2022 MotoGP Jerez for free no matter where you are in the world.

What is ? 

 is a fast, easy to use and secure service that allows you to watch any stream from anywhere inဣ the world.

Geo-blocking is ofte🥃n a problem that many faces when trying💃 to stream live but ExpressVPN allows you to do so with ease.

How does  work?

 allows you to securely relocate your de🐼vice to any countr😼y.

How to watch Jerez highlights for free online

To watch highlights for free on YouTube:

1. Get 

2. Connect to a server location in the UK

3. Visit the official YouTube channel. Tune in to the Jerez highlights

James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering ജeverything from American sports, to fܫootball, to F1.

Read More