Hamilton/Rossi ride swap locked in for December
The long-anticipated machinery swap between Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi has been locked in for December 9 at Valencia, Motorsport.com has learned.
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1
Lewis Hamilton
The idea has been in the works for several years, Monster – a major backer of both the Yamaha MotoGP team and Mercedes Formula 1 outfit – pushing to get Hamilton on a GP-spec M1 and Rossi in Hamilton's F1 car.
Barring any last-minute personal schedule changes, the sensational swap will now finally go ahead at Valencia a week after the F1 season closes out in Abu Dhabi.
The swap will be Hamilton's first time on a MotoGP bike, although he has done plenty of private track miles on two-wheels.
Late last year he even spent a day at Jerez on a Yamaha R1 M Superbike, with help from factory riders Michael van der Mark and Alex Lowes.
Rossi, on the other hand, has significant open-wheeler experience. The Doctor tested for Ferrari a number of times in the past, with a permanent switch to four wheels with the Scuderia even considered.
He is also set to race a Ferrari 488 GT3 at the Gulf 12 Hours at the Yas Marina circuit on the Saturday after the Monster swap.
Valentino Rossi tests the Ferrari F2008
Photo by: Ferrari Media Center
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
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.
Top Comments