Valentino Rossi had considered Ferrari as one of his options as he ventured into four-wheel racing after retiring from MotoGP at the end of 2021.
Nine-time Moto GP World Champion, Valentino Rossi called it quits to his 21-year MotoGP career at the end of 2021. However, the greatest of all time announced he will not be leaving the track any soon.
Rossi announced he will be racing cars after retiring from MotoGP. Having to examine a series of four-wheel options, the 42-year old had considered Ferrari as a fundamental reference.
Ferrari on the other hand, considered Rossi on the Red as an image that contains an old dream, not only of Valentino but of an endless audience of fans. Something that kept the Italian driver from accepting the proposals of Audi and BMW for a long time, in order to find an agreement with the Maranello outfit.
However, the Ferrari-Rossi partnership never materialized. Contacts with Antonello Coletta, Ferrari’s head of covered-wheel programs, did not provide the anticipated results; they became lost in the middle of differences and bureaucratic issues.
Valentino was attempting to express a dream that he deems vital at this moment in his life and work, one that has no predetermined outcomes but is open to any possible growth.
Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team, a reference for Audi in GT racing, quickly offered Rossi the opportunity he sought, providing him with a car for a first test in Valencia with the intention of developing projects and prospects in the near future.
