MOTORCYCLE RACING legend Valentino Rossi has fronted the test marking the debut of a collaboration between BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT in Spain.

Seven time MotoGP champion Rossi jumped behind the wheel of the BMW M4 GT3 at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona with his famous #46.

The full-day test kicked off the partnership between BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT and gave drivers a first taste of the new BMW M4 GT3, which will go racing in the upcoming season.

Rossi was assisted by Austrian BMW M works driver Phillipp Eng, who was deeply involved in the development of the new car.

The BMW M4 GT3 will make its southern hemisphere debut at the Bathurst 12 Hour in Febuary next year

With the BMW M4 GT3 making its on-track debut WRT team principal Vincent Vosse said the test was focused on simply introducing the drivers and the team to the new beast.

“It is just a first rollout, just to understand the car and how we could work”, said Vosse. “But obviously it is something very different from what we know.”

The test took place whilst the announcement of the team’s participation in the 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour was revealed.

Team WRT last raced around The Mountain in 2018 when it scored victory with Robin Frijns, Stuart Leonard and Dries Vanthoor driving an Audi and holding off a Mercedes team led by Jamie Whincup.

But Rossi’s participation in the test and in this year’s GT World Challenge Europe season has got people…