Valentino Rossi has confirmed he will compete in the 2022 GT World Championship.
Rossi will run his iconic #46 through the 2022 championship. The seven-time Moto GP championship winner announced in August that he would retire from Moto GP at the end of the 2021 season.
Rossi’s seven Moto GP championships came with back to back wins 2001-2005, with two more wins in 2008 and 2009.
Rossi will join the GT World Challenge Europe, racing with Team WRT, after completing testing with the team last month.
“I am delighted to join Team WRT for a full Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS programme,” Rossi said
“Everybody knows that I have always been a great car racing fan and that I have always been interested in racing on four wheels once my MotoGP career would come to an end.
“Now I am completely available to devote myself to a car racing programme at a high level and with the right professional approach.
“Team WRT is the perfect fit I was looking for and I am anxious to start this new adventure in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS with them.”
“I am sure that a lot of fans will be as pleased as we are that Rossi is starting a new career on four wheels and that he is doing it in GT, with Team WRT and Audi,” Vincent Vosse, WRT Team Principal said.
“We all know what a great motorbike champion and sports figure Vale is, but most of all, he is a true racer and a very professional and competitive sportsman, eager to be as successful as possible in the new challenge he has decided to embrace.
“This is exactly why we really wanted to work with him. The test we made at Valencia was extremely positive for both parties, in terms of technical feedback and working approach, and we took things from there.”
The five-round championship will get underway 30 April at Brands Hatch, with the season set to wrap up in September.
Main image: Valentino Rossi