Valentino Rossi ahead of his home race: “I love Misano!”

Valentino Rossi heads into this year’s GT World Challenge Sprint Cup race at Misano with just one goal in mind: to secure another victory on his home circuit.

He has already pursued the same goal at the last three races at this venue – and has been successful every time. It was here that he claimed his first victory in the series in 2023, repeating the feat in 2024 and 2025. Each victory was different – yet the fans’ reaction was always one of pure enthusiasm.

He achieved all three victories with Team WRT, at the wheel of a BMW M4. Nothing has changed in that regard, but this year Rossi is aiming to secure his fourth victory with what is already his third team-mate. Following Maxime Martin (2023 & 2024) and Raffaele Marciello (2025), he will now be supported at Team WRT by Max Hesse, who will be driving car number 46 – one of BMW’s most promising young talents. So, can they continue their winning streak and triumph in 2026?

“It gets tougher every year, but we’ll give it a go!” says Rossi. “I get on very well with Max. I’ve always worked with great talents, and he’s one of them. He’s a brilliant driver, and I feel very comfortable with him, so I believe we can keep up.”

“First we need to find out if we’re competitive, but I love Misano,” he continues. “That’s my place, my home. My whole family and all my friends will be there. That’s extra motivation to fight.”

All three of Rossi’s victories at Misano have sent the crowds at the Italian circuit into raptures. He has celebrated each one with the same enthusiasm, yet one clearly stands out as particularly significant.

“The first one was special,” he confirms. “When I started racing in motor racing, I wasn’t sure if I could win. The feeling [after that first victory] was definitely different from the others; it was something special.”

Of course, his first victory in the GT World Challenge in 2023 was by no means his first at Misano – it was simply his first on four wheels. As it is his home circuit, Rossi has been racing there for almost as long as he can remember.

“Misano is very special to me because it was my first racetrack,” he says. “I was there in 1992, riding a Cagiva 125 two-stroke. That was more than 30 years ago!”

“A lot is the same [between a GT car and a motorbike]; a lot is different. My experience on a motorbike has helped me, but Misano is a completely different experience in a GT car. You take completely different lines there than you do on a MotoGP bike.”

Since his first GT World Challenge race at this circuit in 2022, Rossi’s fans have been flocking to Misano in droves. The event has grown significantly over this period, and the upcoming edition promises to be bigger than ever – featuring, amongst other things, a new live music highlight, the ‘ElektronFest’, on Saturday evening.

“There are so many people there, and the numbers keep growing year on year. They’ve put together a really good weekend this year. On Saturday evening there’s a big party where some of my friends are performing. The format is brilliant too. The sprint is very exciting, and we’ve got a race on Saturday night and another on Sunday afternoon – so I hope all my fans will be there.”

A few weeks ago, Rossi made his fifth start at the Spa 24 Hours. Together with Hesse and Dan Harper, he finished sixth in the world’s biggest GT race – as the highest-placed BMW – and he also won the Indianapolis 8 Hours and stood on the podium twice at the Bathurst 12 Hour. ‘Il Dottore’ has now firmly established himself as a GT driver, but believes he can still improve.

“First of all, when you’re racing in this series, there’s a lot to learn – rules for pit stops and driver changes – and you have to get everything right. In endurance races, strategy comes into it as well. But I think my biggest progress has been in my driving. I’d already gained some experience with GT3 cars whilst I was still racing in MotoGP. But if you want to keep up with the top drivers, you have to understand how to push the car to its limits, particularly when braking, entering corners and utilising the aerodynamics. I think I’m still learning!”

Rossi will be looking to put these insights to good use and cause a stir once again when the chequered flag falls at Misano.