Valentino Rossi tests Audi GT3 sportscar at Valencia

Valentino Rossi's post-MotoGP sportscar plans continued to take shape with a private test in an Audi GT3 at Valencia today (Thursday).

The outing was confirmed in a statement released by the WRT team, whose R8 Rossi was driving:

'Following a very successful 2021 season in GT3 and LMP2 racing, Team WRT has now started its winter testing programme ahead of 2022. From Tuesday to Thursday this week, the Belgian squad has been testing at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia with Audi Sport.

'Among those taking the track today was Valentino, with a view to evaluate future cooperation possibilities between the 9-time motorbike World Champion and the reigning GT World Challenge Europe champion squad.'

While Rossi has made clear that sportscars will be his main focus next year, he is yet to commit to a particular series.

The Italian's only confirmed race at present is a return to the Gulf 12 Hours - driving a Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3, alongside brother Luca Marini and friend Alessio 'Uccio' Salucci - at Abu Dhabi in January.

"The [Gulf 12 Hours] race is still for fun and after we need to understand which championship and which program for next year," Rossi explained last month.

"It's a very important moment for the GT races and Endurance races because they will do this new class called Hypercar for 2023 and all the big names including Ferrari, Porsche, Audi will race with these cars.

"But next year I will race with GT [spec] cars. I still don’t know which championship because it can be the WEC but can be also the European Le Mans series or International GT challenge.

"We need to decide, also with which car, and I need to understand my level and my speed because for sure I would like to race with LMP2 or with Hypercar [prototypes in future] but there the level of the drivers is very high.

"So I don't know if I am fast enough. We will try to understand next year."