Valentino Rossi in full F1 test next week
Valentino Rossi's Formula 1 career takes
another step forward next week, when the 26 year-old MotoGP champion will join the Ferrari F1 team in Valencia, Spain
for an open, three-day test with other Formula 1 teams.Rossi (shown at right with Michael Schumacher) has previously driven a Ferrari F1 car in closed tests at Ferrari's private Fiorano circuit, but this will be his first time on an international track with a field of F1 regulars. Mark Webber, lead driver for Williams F1, will be at the test session and told reporters, "He's quite brave, really, to come in and share the circuit with the rest of us. The guy has obviously got unbelievable talent, we know that, and he definitely knows which way is up. But to throw him out there on the track with the rest of us...who knows..."
Rossi will be driving an F2004, while Ferrari regulars Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa will test the new F248.
For Ferrari to invest time and effort in Rossi at this critical time of the year, as the team readies for the season opener in March, is a good indication of how seriously the team is considering developing Rossi into a Formula 1 driver. It should be interesting to watch.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shyam 3:09PM (1/28/2006)
Being a recent new F1 fan, has anyone ever been successful at both motoGP and f1 in the past?
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robcorn 3:51PM (1/28/2006)
That's easy - John Surtees did it on 2 wheels in 1956, '58, '59 and '60, and on 4 wheels in 1964.
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jrhmobile 4:03PM (1/28/2006)
Mike Hailwood too -- Mike the Bike was a Moto GP champion beore he moved to 4 wheels in F1.
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George Miner 8:55PM (1/28/2006)
Rossi is a god on a bike...I can only imagine it will translate well as they are have already reported that he does the "slow" parts of the course on par with other F1 racers.
He needs to keep practicing the braking after long speed streches as the braking point for a bike is much sooner than a car...
He will be just fine...
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laserwizard 10:22PM (1/28/2006)
Caption for the photo: "How do you fit in the COCKpit with a helmet that size?"
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spdracerut 9:22AM (1/30/2006)
I think he'll mostly have to get use to the braking distances and also the effects of downforce in the corners, where sometimes, faster is better.
But once he gets use to it.... I imagine everyone better look out. I've been watching MotoGP for the last two years and he's highly intelligent in race strategy and how he sets up the other guys for passes. I can't remember how many times he'd sit back in 2nd place just stalking the other guy until two or three laps left and then just take the lead at will and leave the other guy behind.
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