De Luigi Ciamburro / Corsedimoto.com
Valentino Rossi and Kessel Racing have been working together since 2009. A first experience in Vallelunga and, after the 12 Hours of the Gulf, the collaboration is intended to continue.
After his second real experience in endurance, Valentino Rossi seems ready for the big leap. Ronnie Kessel, Kessel Racing team principal, can only be proud of this and can't wait to celebrate this wedding. But without putting the cart before the horse, because the Doctor's primary objective is to deserve an extension of his contract with Yamaha. 1+1 or 2 years make little difference, the important thing is to return to the same level as the other drivers from the factory and the satellite team. What will happen next will happen, with the Swiss team ready to welcome the driver from Pesaro.
Third place overall in the Gulf 12 Hours is a great place to start, even if it's not his first approach to endurance. In November 2009, reigning champion of the MotoGP category, Valentino Rossi sat behind the wheel of a Ferrari 430 Scuderia in endurance version for the 6 Hours of Vallelunga. Alternating with Andrea Ceccato and Alessio “Uccio” Salucci, he finished third in GT3 despite an engine failure. In Abu Dhabi, even the power outage did not prevent him from triumphing in the Pro Am section and climbing onto the podium in the general classification.
KESSEL RACING WAITING FOR THE DOCTOR
It's no mystery that Valentino Rossi would not only bring prestige to the world of four-wheel endurance, but also to the already renowned Kessel team, ready to open the doors for a post GP era. “ The relationship between Valentino and our team is now ten years old”, Ronnie Kessel told Sky Sport. “ The first race at Vallelunga was in 2009 with the Ferrari 430 Scuderia… I remember after the first ten laps he got out of the car and asked for telemetry. He spent at least half an hour studying it alone, looking at the reference points, braking and acceleration points. And when he came back on the track, he had the second fastest time, it was something really surprising. We've never had a driver who approached the GT world and managed to get into second position after twenty laps. »
The Tavullia champion has finally shed light on his future in motor racing, an option always supported by his father Graziano.
“It would be a great honor, and I think the whole team is here to give the best of themselves since the 12 Hours”, concluded Ronnie Kessel. “ So, for the future, if he is happy to share it with our team on four wheels, I can only be grateful to him. »
