Breaking news
Endurance
Valentino Rossi to return to Gulf 12 Hours with brother Marini
MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi will return to the Gulf 12 Hours in Bahrain in January with his Avintia-bound half-brother Luca Marini joining him in a Ferrari 488 GT3.
Lewis Duncan
Edited: Nov 21, 2020, 10:13 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Rossi contested the 12-hour event at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi last year in a Kessel Racing-run 488 Ferrari partnered by Marini and his long-time friend and business partner Alessio Salucci.
The trio took a class win in their 488 GT3 in the Pro-Am category and were third overall and will return to defend their crown in January.
A brief statement from the organisers said: “MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi will return to race at the Gulf 12 Hours on 9 January 2021 at the Bahrain International Circuit.
“Rossi made his Gulf 12 Hours debut at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi in 2019 with the Monster VR46 Kessel Racing team, winning the GT3 Pro-Am class and taking third position overall.
“He will return alongside teammates Luca Marini and Alessio Salucci in their Ferrari 488 GT3.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has been moved from Yas Marina to the Bahrain International Circuit and delayed from its December slot to January.
Rossi hinted earlier this year his plans were to race the Gulf 12 Hours instead of taking part in the World Rally Championship finale at Rally Monza in December.
The Italian isn’t the only MotoGP rider to have raced at the Gulf 12 Hours, with former Yamaha teammate and three-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo taking part in the event in 2016.
Rossi’s protege Franco Morbidelli was announced on Saturday morning as an entrant in the WRC finale at Monza next month in a Hyundai WRC3 car.
Read Also:
- Morbidelli to contest WRC Rally Monza in a Hyundai
- Rossi explains reason for Portimao practice crash
This weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix marks Rossi’s final outing with the factory Yamaha squad, having spent 15 years in two stints with the team.
He will depart for Petronas SRT in 2021 alongside Morbidelli, but will remain a factory-contracted rider and have machine parity with Maverick Vinales and his replacement Fabio Quartararo.
Marini is currently 18 points off the Moto2 championship lead ahead of this weekend’s Portugal finale, with the VR46 rider one of four capable of taking the crown.
He will step up to MotoGP in 2021 with the Avintia squad in partnership with VR46 after signing a deal with Ducati, and will join current Moto2 points leader Enea Bastianini.
Rossi’s debut Gulf 12 Hours appearance came days after driving seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton’s 2017 title-winning Mercedes at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit near Valencia.
This was Rossi’s first taste of modern hybrid F1 machinery, while Hamilton impressed on his first MotoGP test on the Yamaha M1.
#46 Monster VR46 Kessel Ferrari 488 GT3: Valentino Rossi, Luca Marini, Alessio Salucci
Photo by: Fotospeedy
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Bathurst 12 Hour cancelled for 2021
Next article Bentley to end factory programme with Continental GT3
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lewis Duncan
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP 2025: Full rider line-up revealed
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
A year on from Marquez’s Germany MotoGP meltdown, has Honda improved?
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
MotoGP
MotoGP
German GP
What’s behind MotoGP’s right-hander chaos in Germany practice?
More from
Valentino Rossi
Marc Marquez to read Valentino Rossi’s new book “when I retire” from MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP
San Marino GP
Marc Marquez to read Valentino Rossi’s new book “when I retire” from MotoGP
Valentino Rossi abandons Nordschleife Permit plans for 2026
Endurance
Endurance
NLS8
Valentino Rossi abandons Nordschleife Permit plans for 2026
Lando Norris earns emotional praise from MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi
Formula 1
Formula 1
Belgian GP
Lando Norris earns emotional praise from MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi
Latest news
Phillip Island to remain in use despite MotoGP and WorldSBK departures
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
30 min
Phillip Island to remain in use despite MotoGP and WorldSBK departures
Did Max Verstappen already know the impact of Red Bull’s big upgrade when he signed his new deal?
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
1 h
Did Max Verstappen already know the impact of Red Bull’s big upgrade when he signed his new deal?
WEC: Barcelona 6 Hours schedule and TV times
WEC
WEC WEC
Barcelona
2 h
WEC: Barcelona 6 Hours schedule and TV times
Brennan Poole joins Jordan Anderson Racing for 2027 NASCAR O'Reilly season
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
4 h
Brennan Poole joins Jordan Anderson Racing for 2027 NASCAR O'Reilly season
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe