Video: Onboard Valentino Rossi drives Hamilton’s F1 car

05th August 2021

Seán Ward

It goes without saying Valentino Rossi is a motorsport legend. With nine world championships to his name across 26 years of two-wheeled racing, he is arguably the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. As it turns out, he’s pretty handy when there are four wheels, too…

Back in 2019 Rossi headed to the Circuit Ricardo Torno, Valencia, for a date with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes-AMG F1 W08, the car with which Hamilton took his fourth world title in 2017.

How good is Rossi behind the wheel? Judging by the video he’s incredibly comfortable. We shouldn’t be all that surprised really, given Rossi’s previous tests in F1 machinery with Ferrari – in one test he was just 0.7 seconds slower than Michael Schumacher…

Rossi might be retiring at the end of 2021, but his talent will never be forgotten. Maybe there's a future in car racing?

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: The LaFerrari’s V12 howl is still spine‑tingling