Rossi: 'I'll drive for 10 more years – I want to race a Le Mans Hypercar'

“I mean, yes [I want to drive one], but it’s not my target. I don’t know if I will be fast enough for Hypercar because they are Platinium [graded] drivers.”

Before he entertains more dreams of the top category though, Rossi has to get his head around just being in the world’s best sports car championship – something he’s not underestimating either.

“This is already my third season in cars and it’s difficult because the level in the GT races is so high – you have a lot of great drivers that can bring the car to the limit.

“For me at the beginning it was difficult. But I try to improve, and I’m very happy because I did a good step from the first season to the second and also from the second to the third. I have to work because I’m not so bad, I’m quite fast, but I still miss something compared to the top, top guys.

“The target is try to arrive at the same level – I’m not very far [off].

“The Hypercars are more than 10 seconds a-lap faster, so at least one or two of them overtake you every lap – so you have to pay attention and understand where to stay [on your line] and where to let them pass.”

Key to Rossi getting the most out his sports car activities is understanding the Goodyear rubber his GT3 BMW will run on. Interestingly, for a man who was one of the first to race on the Losail circuit when it opened 20 years ago, he can utilise his understanding of the MotoGP tyres in car racing too.

“When you drive the car, the feeling that you have with the tyre and the way that you speak with the engineer is the same – more or less like the bike,” he explains.

“For sure, the races are very different – MotoGP is 40 minutes flat-out. With these longer races we need to save the tyre, you have a lot of strategy and also you need to work a lot in the pits, with the driver change, sharing your car.”

In the Losail circuit media centre at the BMW scrum, there’s only one man press want to speak to. Hypercar drivers Robyn Frijns, Rene Rast and Dries Vanthoor are left kicking their heels while journalists crowd round ‘The Doctor’.

Observing the chaos, WRT boss Vincent Vosse describes the ‘Rossi’ effect on his team, with the former champion rider having done almost all his post-MotoGP driving with the renowned sports car squad.

“It’s been exceptional because he’s such a legend for the sport,” Vosse says.

“You can very quickly see why he’s so exceptional. Vale’s just so talented for what he’s doing, when you look at this age, how many can drive as quick as him at 45? His progress in three years has been remarkable.

“Of course, he’s attracting more attention than the other drivers,” he adds, laughing.

“Vale loves to win. Let’s first focus on the GT programme [but] of course you will see him in the Hypercar tests, probably quite soon.”

Time is still on Rossi’s side for now though, and it’s no surprise that an athlete with his racing pedigree has managed to acquit himself so well – but how long can the 45-year-old keep going?

“This is a good question!” Rossi chuckles. “The problem is that I’m old! But anyway, I’m still in in good shape. I want to try to race another 10 years maybe. It depends on my shape and if I’m fast.”

This weekend in Qatar will give us a good idea of just how fast.