Valentino Rossi’s temptation to switch to Formula 1 is one of those stories that are regularly enriched with anecdotes or revelations. The latest comes from Luca Cordero from Montezemolo, the boss of Ferrari, when he organized a first test on a Ferrari in Fiorano in 2004.
“Many said it was a promo stint, but Ferrari didn’t need one,” he said in an interview with Motorsport
“To tell the truth, we did it first out of courtesy, to grant a wish of a great champion. “
But Valentino has shown that he knows what he’s doing, even behind the wheel of a racing car, and it wasn’t an isolated incident.
“I saw that he was fine. It wasn’t constant, but it had great potential“, Remembered Montezemolo.
At that point, Ferrari and Rossi thought races together would be possible. It was more than an idea. Maranello had planned his arrival in F1.
“There was a time when we thought we’d give him a year with a Sauber first,” the manager revealed. “But he was smart, he knew he was number one in MotoGP and preferred to stay number one instead of risking number four or five in car racing. He did other tests later, but it was more of a courtesy. “