Moto GP legend Valentino Rossi is ready to jump ship, switching to Formula 1 racing! Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS boss Toto Wolff has already invited him to test in a Formula 1 car and the Italian was delighted: “How could I ever say no?”
Valentino Rossi has been a Ferrari fan for decades, yet, the 37-year old says that the offer received from Mercedes is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that he cannot refuse. Besides, Nico Rosberg says has told Toto Wolff that Rossi would be good for the team.
The 7-time Moto GP world champion is no stranger to F1 racing cars. He has already driven the Ferrari fireball in Maranello, back in 2004 and 2008 and his lap times were decent.
“I am aware that our sport is a show,” Toto Wolff told La Gazzetta dello Sport, half-joking about replacing Nico Rosberg with Valentino Rossi. “I’d really like to test the skills of Rossi in our cars.”
“But how can you not try the Mercedes if they do ask? It would be very difficult to say no”, was Rossi’s reply.
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS has been sitting on a time bomb, since World Champion Nico Rosberg shook the world of motorsport by announcing his retirement. With only three months to go and with winter tests just around the corner, the 3-time Constructor’s World Champions have still not found a driver to keep Lewis Hamilton company throughout 2017.
