Between 2004 and 2006, Valentino Rossi took part in more than one Formula 1 test with Ferrari, and the switch from MotoGP to the premier class of four wheels was a strong possibility – a path that could have led him to compete for the Maranello team. However, he remained in MotoGP, retiring in 2021 to dedicate himself full-time to car racing in GT.
The Doctor spoke on Gianluca Gazzoli’s podcast about this potential move to F1 that never materialized: ‘It was true in the sense that, in 2004, when I won with Yamaha, Stefano Domenicali called me and he said: “I have to let you test the car.” We went to Fiorano to test the car. I was very fast and I lapped under 59.1s. […]. Later, after those tests, I went to Mugello. I also did a real test in Valencia‘.
With the income being convincing, Rossi had the opportunity to go to F1, but not immediately with Ferrari, as he explained: ‘And then I had to choose. If I said yes, I would have competed with Minardi, the B team. And then, if I was fast enough, the goal and path would have been to compete with Ferrari’.
