Valentino Rossi managed to become champion in MotoGP nine times, but it would have been close if the Italian had also been active as a driver in Formula 1. Rossi reveals he was very close to a move to the premier class, with the goal being to eventually drive for Ferrari.
Rossi started riding motorbikes at a very young age and developed himself into an absolute legend in the racing world. The now 42-year-old Italian managed to conquer no fewer than nine world titles and put 116 Grand Prix victories to his name. Rossi showed early on that he was a tremendous talent and that was reason enough for Stefano Domenicali, then active at Ferrari, to consult the MotoGP driver in 2004 for a switch to Formula 1. “Stefano Domenicali called me and said: “Why don’t you try one of our cars? We have a nice and fast track in Fiorano, let’s do a test here.” I accepted the offer and the test was set up,” Rossi revealed Sports world.
Rossi tested several times with a Formula 1 car
Rossi’s first test in a Formula 1 car was conducted under the watchful eye of Michael Schumacher. A year later, Rossi got back into a Ferrari before taking part in the 2006 F1 pre-season test in Cheste. Rossi managed to approach Schumacher’s best time here at seven tenths. “I think it was a very good test, I was quite fast,” Rossi recalls. “But I remember when I got home I decided to continue with MotoGP.”
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Ferrari wanted to prepare Rossi for switch
The plan was actually for Rossi to make the switch to Formula 1, where he would be primed for a career at Ferrari. “There was a plan to move to Formula 1, but not directly to Ferrari. The idea was that I would start with a smaller team, gain experience, and then move to Ferrari if I was fast enough. ” Rossi eventually decided to forgo the switch, but this choice was not an easy one.
“There was a lot of pressure to make a decision. Everyone said to me: ‘Choose Formula 1, go to Ferrari’, because that was something big,” said the MotoGP legend. “When I tried to explain my choice, everyone still said I should go to Formula 1. Even my mother. But I had to decide for myself and my heart told me to stay in MotoGP.”
