Valentino Rossi almost switched to F1 - father

Valentino Rossi’s father has admitted the MotoGP legend came "very, very close" to switching to formula one a decade ago.

Graziano Rossi, himself a former international motorcycle racing star, told the Italian press that his now 37-year-old Italian son’s multiple tests for Ferrari last decade were extremely serious.

"Valentino was very, very close to being a formula one driver," he said.

"The only thing comparable to MotoGP is F1; anything else would have been a step backwards. But he didn’t do it because his love for MotoGP was too big."