(ANSA) - MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has made it plain that he will only abandon motorbikes for Formula 1 cars if he thinks he can win.
Speaking after an impressive performance at the wheel of a rally car at the weekend, Rossi indicated that he is still weighing his options, aware that success in F1 would require more experience than he now has.
The 26-year-old champ implicitly dismissed the notion that he might dive into F1 either just for the thrill or because his presence would generate millions of dollars even without victories.
"If I were to take this big step, I would do it to win," he said, when quizzed by reporters who turned out in droves to watch him race in a rally event in Monza.
Rossi has tried his hand at the wheel of Ferrari F1 car several times now, most recently 10 days ago, when he put in three days of testing at the Italian team's two tracks.
Pushed for a hint of whether those days on the track had helped him make up his mind, the popular young star remained tight-lipped.
"I have nothing to say for the moment. I had a go, it went well, but Formula 1 is a long road that requires proper preparation." Rossi stressed he was not going to be rushed into making
a switch which F1 promoters, ever struggling to boost audiences, would be thrilled about.
Clearly weary of the continual questions about his intentions, he repeated that he was going to take his time. "It's the only way I know how to do things."
On his experiences at the Monza Rally, where he won an exhibition event and drove his 200-hp Subaru Impreza to second place in the race itself, the motorcycling legend was much more talkative.
"This is the fourth time I've taken part in this race and I must say I've got much better. I'd like to race in a real rally, although not in a World Cup race. That would put too much pressure on me."
His opponents in Monza included several established, professional rally car drivers. Among them was former World Rally champion Colin McRae.
Rossi, now enjoying his winter break from the MotoGP circuit, reportedly performed well at the Ferrari-owned Mugello track earlier this month, at the wheel of Michael Schumacher's 2004 car.
There has been persistent speculation in the media that Rossi, who has now won five successive titles in motorcycling's top class, could some day race Formula 1 cars for Ferrari.
Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has frequently said the door is open for Rossi, leaving Italian sports fans licking their lips at the idea that an Italian might once again win a F1 title in a Ferrari.
The last person to do this was Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Rossi, who has little left to prove in MotoGP, is believed to be attracted by the challenge of successfully making a switch which only one man, Britain's John Surtees, has ever done before.
Surtees won four world motorcycling titles before switching to cars in 1960. In 1964, at the age of 30, he won a world title driving a Ferrari.
Rossi recently signed a contract to race another year with his current team, Yamaha, but after that his future is uncertain.
