Rumours that new MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi could be racing in a Formula One car next year have been dashed by The Doctor’s decision to remain in two-wheel racing for “at least two more years”.
Rumours that new MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi could be racing in a Formula One car next year have been dashed by The Doctor’s decision to remain in two-wheel racing for “at least two more years”.
Rossi recently played down speculation that he was being earmarked to join F1 champions Ferrari. He insisted that while he was flattered by the attention, he would be remaining in MotoGP until the end of 2006.
“For sure, next year I will stay with Yamaha, and I want another year in motorbikes,” he said. “I don’t know about my future but, after two more years, I will decide.”
Rossi has been linked to a possible third Ferrari seat alongside Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. The Italian already completed a test session with the Scuderia in April, where after completing an unknown number of test laps, was apparently only three seconds off the time set by the F1 champion.
While Barrichello was impressed by Rossi’s performance at the time, he said he was not convinced that the motorcycle star should move to F1.
Rossi is currently in what he called his “best season ever” after winning the rider’s championship two weeks ago at the Australian Grand Prix. After his shock move from Honda to Yamaha at the end of last season, he finally silenced his critics when he handed Yamaha its first championship title since 1992.