Briatore claims Rossi “belongs” in MotoGP
Added on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
No Renault seat on the cards for Rossi.
Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore says he would not offer Valentino Rossi a formula one race seat because he is too important to motorcycle racing.
Briatore believes that Rossi’s personality and profile is a massive selling point for MotoGP and that the Italian “belongs to the world of bikes.”
Rossi has been involved in F1 with the Ferrari team as a test rider and was reportedly keen on taking up a car back in 2005 before eventually opting to stay in the two-wheeled version of Grand Prix racing although the 29-year-old appeared to leave the door open for a stint at F1 when his current Yamaha deal expires in 2011.
But Briatore insisted that he would not offer Rossi a seat in Formula One.
“I would not give him a car,” he confirmed to the newspaper Il Riformista
“He belongs to the world of bikes. There, he is without an equal, and some say that without him MotoGP would not be half of what it is.”
Briatore did however confess that he could see the attraction of signing up his compatriot, admitting that his personality would be “very good” for the sport.
“He appeals to everyone, as a rock star does,” he added.
