Rossi finished in 13th and eighth in a Team WRT Au🀅di R8 in a pair of sprint races in the GT World Challenge Europe on Sunday at Brands Hatch in the UK.

The nine-time motorcycle racing world champion ꦚhad to steer past a crash which took out three cars on the very first turn of his second outing since retiring from MotoGP.

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“In Race 1, I was lucky to escape any pro💝blem at first corner and then I basically stayed where I was, Rossi said.

“Race 2 was much better, I am very happy because I sensed a big step forward in my driving and I improved a lot𓆏 my lap times, especially towards the end of the race, whenꦿ I was feeling more comfortable with the car and the track. I really enjoyed those final laps!” 

His teammate Frederic Vervisch said: “We scored our first points of the season and are 🀅very happy with the performance. 

“We are progressing well, and Vale is learnin☂g fast and making big steps. We now need to focus on improving both of us our pace in qualifying.” ✤;

Team WRT P💙rincipal Vincent Vosse said: “It’s also t🅺he first points for Vale and Fred after a very consistent race. 

“Valಞe really did a big step forward and his lap𝓰 times at the end of Race 2 were among the best.” 

Rossi and Vervisch finished in P13 with a༺ time ofꦐ +33.760 then in P8 with a time of +40.216.

His next outing will b𝄹e 13-15 May at Magny-Cours in France.

Why Rossi races on after retiring from MotoGP

“I always had an idea to race with cars, since when I started with moto🐭rcycles," he said on Friday.

“This idea with GT3 helped me to๊ stop with the bikes!

“To stop was very difficult. I drove cars in the past jusꦫt to improve my skills. 

“I want to be competitive.

“You need something - you need to feel the adrenaline, to remain a driver, to remain on th⛦e track, to jump in t🌃he car, to wear the helmet.

Rossi warned his new rivals: ꦗ“The good drivers have a big di🧸fference compared to me.

“My lap times were not s🥃o bad. But I need to arrive at that performance earlier. I need to improve my skills. I amജ not far from the top guys but they are faster than me."

The verdict on Rossi from his teammate

Vervisch said about Rossi’s apprenticeship in a new sport: “The best I’ve had so far. I am experienced with driver coaching.&🔯nbsp;

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

“For him -✨ he tries, it doesn’t work, he says ‘OK, try again’.

“He can do the same as u꧅s, or even better. He is just yet to bring it all together.”