Valentino Rossi dismisses latest Ferrari link

Valentino Rossi has again rejected suggestions that he is seriously contemplating a future switch to Formula One.

The Italian has been offered another test drive in Ferrari’s F1 car, which inevitably led to rumours circulating that the 29-year-old might make a full-time switch, having been strongly linked with a move during 2006.

But the 2008 MotoGP world champion, who kicked off his 2009 preparations earlier this week with a brief outing on Yamaha’s new prototype YZR-M1 in Valencia, said: “I’m not going to Formula One. The Ferrari test is just a present for me winning the championship.

“I don’t know when or where it will be, but it is nothing more than a test. I have another two-year contract with Yamaha which means at the end I will be 31 and that is too late to go to Formula One.”