Valentino Rossi to decide between WEC or GTWCE for 2025: “Now it’s more…”

MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi has revealed he will commit to either the World Endurance Championship or GT World Challenge Europe for 2025 - not both.

Since retiring from motorcycle racing, Rossi has regularly competed in sportscars.

The Italian has raced in GT World Challenge Europe since 2022, but recently tested BMW’s hypercar for WEC.

Earlier this month, Rossi was in action at the Bahrain International Circuit, driving the BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh car.

It’s now clear that Rossi could make the full-time switch to WEC in 2025, with BMW pushing him in that direction.

As quoted by Sportscar365, the nine-time motorcycle champion admitted “it’s more important” for BMW that he races for them in WEC and that he has to choose between the two series.

Rossi also confirmed he won’t race in both.

“For them, it’s more important,” Rossi said. “I don’t decide yet because some things are better here some things are better there. Now, it’s more WEC.

“Anyway now in two or three weeks I will race in the GT World Challenge for the last race in Jeddah and after we will decide right after and we will let you know. Anyway, I will do one or the other one [and not both].”

It was a successful test in the BMW hypercar for the 45-year-old as he completed 69 laps in total.

His best time was second-best in terms of the rookies, just behind Ferrari’s Arthur Leclerc.

Rossi was buoyed by how the BMW hypercar handled and saw similarities to his time riding motorcycles.

“First of all, the line with the Hypercar is more similar to the motorcycle line because you stay on the track usually,” he added.

“Because with the GT for me at the beginning was very difficult, you have to cut everything. Cut outside, cut especially inside [the curbs]. So it’s another way to drive.

“This one is more similar to a bike. Also the speed is higher, but at the same time you have also more grip.

“So it’s very good and also it’s a real day of testing. I was alone in the car, I have all the guys with me, I have Rene Rast who gave me a lot of advice so I can improve during the day like this. It was good. I enjoyed.”