Valentino Rossi will participate in World Endurance Car Championship (WEC) in the new LMGT3 category in 2024. His name appears in an initial list of participants published by organizers on Monday. The 44-year-old rider, 7 times world champion in MotoGP, who competes for the Belgian team WRT, will drive one of the 18 cars entered in the new LMGT3 class, which replaces the LMGTE Am category (cars driven by amateurs in association with professionals). Rossi is also expected to participate in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, the top race of the season, which will take place on 15 and 16 June.
Last year Rossi won at Sarthe in a support race to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, his first championship victory in a GT car. The identity of his two teammates for 2024 is not yet known.
Another name announced is that of the Polish Robert Kubica, who should compete in the Hypercar category. The former Formula 1 driver, crowned world champion in 2023 in the lower LMP2 category (which disappears this season), will be behind the wheel of a private Ferrari.
Already announced by his team, German Mick Schumacher, son of former F1 star Michael, will make his endurance debut in his premier class as an Alpine regular. A total of 14 manufacturers will participate in the championship (including nine in Hypercar), a record in the history of the WEC.