Breaking news
Formula 1
Monster pushing for Hamilton/Rossi ride swap
Energy drinks company Monster is aiming to arrange a ride swap between reigning Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton and MotoGP star Valentino Rossi.
Oriol Puigdemont
Published: Mar 9, 2019, 2:44 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
As a personal sponsor of both Rossi and Hamilton, Monster has been pursuing the possibility of such an event for the past three years, albeit with little success.
However, its new status as the Yamaha MotoGP factory team's title sponsor, replacing Movistar from 2019 onwards, means it can ramp up its push to put Hamilton on an M1 bike and Rossi at the wheel of a Mercedes F1 car.
“This possibility has been under consideration for years, but we have not been able to realise it,” a Yamaha spokesman said.
“We'll see what happens this time. There's still nothing firm, far from it.”
The contracts of both Rossi and Hamilton theoretically prevent any such ride swap from taking place before the final F1 grand prix of the season, which will be run on December 1 in Abu Dhabi.
Monster had set up a Mercedes F1 run for Rossi's former teammate Jorge Lorenzo at Silverstone in 2016.
Lorenzo has since split with Monster and now carries Red Bull branding following his move to Honda. Red Bull organised a Toro Rosso F1 test for Honda's reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez and his then-teammate Dani Pedrosa last year.
Hamilton is in Qatar for the MotoGP season opener this weekend as a guest of Mercedes F1 backer Petronas, which sponsors Yamaha's new satellite team SRT and is also believed to be keen on arranging a ride swap for the F1 champion.
Hamilton tested a World Superbike-spec Yamaha R1 at Jerez last year, running alongside factory riders Sam Lowes and Michael van der Mark.
He said during the Barcelona F1 pre-season test that he was keen on having further bike outings in the near future.
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Leclerc a long shot to beat Vettel in 2019, says Brawn
Next article Verstappen: "Different" Honda has delivered on every promise
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Oriol Puigdemont
MotoGP riders resigned to racing in Qatar despite safety concerns
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
MotoGP riders resigned to racing in Qatar despite safety concerns
MotoGP seeks compromise with riders over Qatar Grand Prix
MotoGP
MotoGP
Australian GP
MotoGP seeks compromise with riders over Qatar Grand Prix
More from
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton on why he is “built differently” to stay in F1 for the “foreseeable future”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
9 h
Lewis Hamilton on why he is “built differently” to stay in F1 for the “foreseeable future”
The mistakes that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium at F1’s US GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
The mistakes that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium at F1’s US GP
More from
Mercedes
Why “ignorance is a superpower” for Kimi Antonelli, according to Daniel Ricciardo
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
12 h
Why “ignorance is a superpower” for Kimi Antonelli, according to Daniel Ricciardo
George Russell predicts key Ferrari "advantage" at F1 Mexican GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
17 h
George Russell predicts key Ferrari "advantage" at F1 Mexican GP
Latest news
Chandler Smith wins Martinsville as NASCAR Truck title fight tightens
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Martinsville
1 h
Chandler Smith wins Martinsville as NASCAR Truck title fight tightens
F1 Mexico GP: Saturday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
1 h
F1 Mexico GP: Saturday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Max Verstappen slams Liam Lawson for FP2 clash at F1 Mexico GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
2 h
Max Verstappen slams Liam Lawson for FP2 clash at F1 Mexico GP
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe