The BMW M4 GT3 that Valentino Rossi raced in his first-ever 24 Hours of Le Mans has bought for a formidable €646,250 at RM Sotheby’s Munich public sale — far exceeding its authentic estimate. The automobile, provided immediately by BMW M Motorsport, drew main curiosity from collectors due to its race-winning document and connection to the nine-time MotoGP world champion.
A Confirmed Racer With Actual Historical past
This isn’t simply any M4 GT3 automobile. Chassis quantity 22-046 is identical BMW M4 GT3 that Rossi campaigned with Group WRT from 2023 by early 2025 throughout a number of championships, together with the GT World Problem Europe and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Sporting his iconic quantity 46, the automobile introduced Rossi his first GT3 victories — together with the Highway to Le Mans and a Dash Cup win at Misano — plus podium finishes at Imola, Fuji, and in his WEC debut at Qatar.
Its last outing got here on the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour, the place Rossi, along with Maxime Martin and Raffaele Marciello, completed first at school. After that race, BMW retired the automobile and despatched it straight to public sale — nonetheless carrying the marks and put on of competitors.
Preserved Precisely as It Completed
Not like most retired race vehicles restored for show, Rossi’s M4 GT3 was bought precisely because it completed its final race. Each scratch, stone chip, and rubber streak from Mount Panorama stays. To guard that authenticity, BMW Artwork Automobile designer Walter Maurer utilized a particular matte clear lacquer and added his signature alongside these of Rossi, Marciello, and Charles Weerts.
Beneath the weathered bodywork sits BMW’s P58 twin-turbo inline-six engine paired with a six-speed sequential gearbox — the identical setup utilized in BMW’s present GT3 program. The automobile’s neon yellow WRT livery and quantity 46 make it immediately recognizable to followers.
A Bidding Battle in Munich
Listed with an estimated worth between €435,000 and €485,000, bidding shortly surpassed expectations at RM Sotheby’s Motorworld Munich sale. The hammer fell at €646,250 (£561,480 or $752,000), reflecting the automobile’s distinctive provenance and historical past. For comparability, the road-legal BMW M4 CS Version VR46 — a limited-production homage to Rossi — bought out instantly after launch.
Whereas chassis 22-046 heads to a personal assortment, Rossi’s racing profession continues with BMW and Group WRT. Simply final weekend, he teamed up with Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts to win the Indianapolis 8 Hour — his first victory on the Brickyard since his 2008 MotoGP triumph. Rossi’s endurance season wraps up in early November with the ultimate spherical of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship in Bahrain, the place he’ll as soon as once more line up in BMW’s colours.
