Rossi to Formula 1

[Steve H]

Taken from Rueters - More fuel to the rumours...

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi plans to race in Formula One from 2007, according to his Yamaha team boss.

Rossi's current deal with Yamaha runs out at the end of the season and team director Davide Brivio told the daily Gazzetta dello Sport that they have agreed on a one-year extension but then Rossi will switch to four wheels.

"There aren't any problems regarding the renewal of his contract for 2006. We have decided to talk about it after the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello," he said.

"We have already agreed on a one-year contract and we know that from 2007 he will be in Formula One," he added.

Rossi told the paper he would consider offers to switch to racing a car without giving any indication of whether it would be Formula One or another format.

"From the end of 2006 I will be free and if I have offers to race in a car I will weigh them up," he said.

Rossi has test driven with the Ferrari F1 team and there has long been speculation in the Italian media that he could eventually take over from German Michael Schumacher with the Italian team -- a partnership that would delight fans and sponsors in Italy.

"We are friends, I have driven for them but there is not only Ferrari," said Rossi.

Asked whether he felt ready for the switch, Rossi said: "When I was a kid I started out in cart racing and then, luckily, I discovered motorcycling but my passion for the car has remained.

"I've tried rallying and I like driving the powerful WRC (World Rally Championship) cars. It is a family passion which I share with my grandfather Graziano," he said.

Rossi goes into the weekend's French MotoGP Grand Prix leading the championship as he aims for a fifth successive world title.

The 26-year-old Italian was world champion at 125 cc and 250 cc before moving up to MotoGP where he won his first three world titles with Honda.

The biggest name on the circuit, he is also one of the most sought after sportsmen for major sponsors in Italy where he features in several high-profile advertising campaigns.
____________________
Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top TEN - 2010, 2009, 2008, The Original.

[numark1]

I hope he doesn't go. F1 is so boring to watch.

[G]

[Dom]

Yeah if he does go he'll be great for F1, that's for sure. They can use all the personalities they can get atm with the majority of drivers being so dull and stupidly PR friendly all the time. Not to mention the on track 'action'.

[Frost]

I don't think he will be a great success in F1, so far as i know all he has done do far is fail to finish the RAC rally and have a single car test with no actual racing or overtaking envolved.

He has nothing else to prove in MotoGP, and rather than doing a schumacher and staying long after it has stopped being interesting he is moving on to try something else.
All the best to the bloke

[TOM M]

i hope he goes into the world rally championship as its a great series but needs some much needed publicity and some decent television coverage, which rossi could bring to it.
____________________
Now owner of a 1200 Bandit

[lilredmachine]

Anyone ever see the Michelin Race of Champions? he was very impressive in that, can't remember where he finished though. (the comp where they use a rally special stage in Gran canaria and have people like Solberg and Schumacher race in it)
____________________
Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.

[mchaggis]

Rossi wouldn't bring much more to WRC than it already has, other than a bit of publicity. The drivers on there are already the biggest bunch of characters you'd hope to find in a race series. I suppose it comes with the territory, rally driving is hardly the same analytical game, trying to shave hundredths of seconds of each time round, aiming for perfection. It's much more fun than that, you'd have to be a little bit mad to race at the speeds they do, given the danger of the roads.

It's a bit like the IoM TT compared to a track race. You need much bigger balls and be slightly madder to race the IoM than you do to race on a track imo.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[awj72]

[McJamweasel]

I hope he does bugger off to F1, like the others have said it would be great for the sport. As long as he is competative (which he should be given his test times) and one of the big teams has the balls to give him a car I can see him being there for a while, right at the centre of the action.

I can't see Ferrari taking him on as a race driver straight away though, they have too much to lose to put an untested driver in the race car. I really can't see Rossi being happy with a testing seat either. Maybe Ferrari will use their influence with Sauber to get him a drive there first?
____________________
BCF: Be yourself, just don't be an arse.

[scottiel]

If he really wants to prove he is one of the greats he should do some road races, prove he has balls. Try the NW200 IOM TT, THE MANX, ULSTER GP and MACUA. Then go and race cars.

[m99dws]

[Silver]

Well, here's a something of a denial that anything's been decided:

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/nav?page=motorcyclenews.articles.articleCategory.article&resourceId=2378644&articleCategory=SPORT_MOTOGP

[Dom]

Well I have to admit, I'd rather see Rossi on a Ducati than in an F1 car. F1 can't be fixed by one driver and frankly Rossi's not likely to be all that great even if he can get a good drive there.