There may end up being 21 races this year for Fernando Alonso as there is talk in Italy that he and motocycle legend Valentino Rossi will race one another in some event at the end of this year. Alonso reckons he is a good motorcycle racer, and Rossi has turned in some decent times when he has tested for Ferrari in previous years. The two men now share the same sponsors as Rossi is racing this year with the Marlboro-funded Ducati team in the MotoGP series and it seems that both men are keen to race one another to see who comes out ahead.
“I have known Valentino for quite some time,” Alonso says. “Moreso since the middle of last year. We met in Maranello when he was there paying a visit and I think he is a nice guy. When you have won nine World Championships there is not much more you can add. He is the best bike rider in history.”
This is not strictly true as Giacomo Agostini won 15 World Championships on 500cc and 350cc bikes between 1966 and 1975, before Alonso was born…
Fernando admits that there is something to the story, but he is not willing to say more than that.
“We are working on it now, so I cannot tell you anything 100%,” he says, “but before the end of the season – before December – there may be a surprise. I am not going to say anything about how it is going to take place.”
Nor is going to talk about what vehicles might be used.
“Two-wheelers, four-wheelers, six-wheelers,” he says. “I am not saying.”
A celebrity match race (or races) between Alonso and Rossi would certainly be an interesting idea for all concerned. It would be good for Formula 1 and for MotoGP. It would be good for Ferrari and Ducati, and for their sponsors Marlboro and Shell… and they all know it.
joeblogsf1 
It is an interesting question who the best rider ever is. If titles through all classes is what counts, Rossi (9) is third behind Agostini (15) and Nieto (13). Hailwood and Ubbiali also have won 9 titles, like Rossi. If only premier class titles (500cc/MotoGP) are counted, Rossi (7) is second to Agostini (8). However Rossi’s career is still in progress and he might come out on top eventually, although 15 titles will be difficult to top. If Rossi rides two classes simultaneusly, like MotoGP and Moto2, it could be achievable, though. Thanks to improved safety, rider’s careers are much longer nowadays, than they used to be in the past, just like in F1.
Bring it on!
I hope Alonso doesn’t make the blunder of racing on a Superbike. I doubt Ferrari will allow their champion driver to risk hampering his fitness and training shcedule by falling from a bike. We all know what happened to Schumacher after he had that Superbike fall in 2009.
Now Alonso is praising Rossi, but I wonder whether you remember Joe, that back in his Renault days when Rossi was seriously thinking about entering Formula 1, Alonso was one of the drivers who seriously critical about welcoming Rossi as one among them. I remember I read it Autosport or somewhere else, perhaps itv.com/f1.
Diplomacy…
I think they should race each other, both in F1 cars and MOTOGP bikes.
Wonder if Alonso would ever recover from the broken legs and arms he would acquire, as a result on him falling off the bike.
I seem to recall Alonso bad mouthing Rossi ,when Rossi was testing the Ferrari a few years ago, and stating that he could beat Rossi on a bike .
BTW..I am not a fan of either of these guys.
‘“Two-wheelers, four-wheelers, six-wheelers,” he says. “I am not saying.”’
That’s a shame – I was hoping for a unicycle race.
But Joe, there is no tabacco sponsorship in motorracing..Ha…
It would seem like 3 wheelers would be the best compromise for these two.
How about rally cars ? Should present a neutral challenge. And encourage Lancia to come back with a rally car.
Ago is in a different class to either of them, in terms of results and the manner of their achievement. Tef is a win-at-any-cost-driver.
Surtees is the man for me, on bike and in cars, allied to his integrity.
He is the best motorcycle racer in history. Doesn’t mean he has to win the most amount of races.
Kcoc,
That is a subjective answer. In pure terms Giacomo Agostini wins, end of story.
Re Pete–
Yes! A race in the new Morgan trikes! Now that I’d pay to see.
…you could even have Reliant Robins as the saloon car warmup… or perhaps not…
I want to see the race happen on horseback. Or dogsleds.
So can I presume you consider michael Schumacher as the best driver ever?
Kcoc,
You can presume whatever you like to presume…
@ Andy Shaw – That is hilarious. Favorite comment. I was thinking of a three wheeler; but not only has it already been suggested, a unicycle race is so so much better! maybe they should build a special car: Ferrari front end, Ducati rear end, and see what they can come up with. Has to have three (open) wheels, one driver, and be powered by gasoline. those are the only regulations. Could be pretty fast, who knows? (corners may be interesting with three wheels!)
“Alonso was one of the drivers who seriously critical about welcoming Rossi as one among them.” Anyone have any links to this? Any proof?
Jack,
I have no idea what you are talking about.
Jack,
I’m sure I read it at either itv.com/f1 or autosport.com. I’ll try to find it. It’s difficult, since it was sometime in 2005, I think. But anyway I’ll try.
I know it was widely reported at the time, but, I just did some Googling and got this one:
http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/formula-1/alonso-uses-rossi-for-f1-mind-game?artid=56842
Alonso uses Rossi for F1 mind game
By Flagworld,
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
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‘I’m glad he drove with Ferrari’
source: f1.racing-live.com / GMM / CAPSIS International
World Champion Fernando Alonso is either unimpressed with MotoGP counterpart Valentino Rossi’s F1 forays, or he is ramping up some mind games with Ferrari prior to kick off in 2006.
Speaking at a news conference in Madrid, the 24-year-old Renault driver said it did not bother him that the motorbike racer joined the F1 world at a recent test in Spain.
”I’m glad he drove with Ferrari,” said the Spaniard, ”because it means they lost valuable time preparing their cars during that show.”
However, Alonso did not criticise Rossi, who – albeit with a more powerful engine – logged impressive lap times in Spain. But he did warn that switching to two wheels would likely be ‘very difficult’ for the Italian.
”He might finish fifth or even get on the podium some time,” said Fernando, ”but I could do the same on bikes if I was given a bit of time to practise.”
Alonso is the third commentator to muse on the Rossi topic this week, after Gerhard Berger and Alex Zanardi both said the 27-year-old is made of the right stuff to succeed in F1.
”I would rather hire him than anybody else at the moment,” Toro Rosso co-owner, Berger, told Motor Cycle News.
Former F1 and Champ Car driver Zanardi, however, was quoted as telling Gazzetta dello Sport that Rossi is not yet ready to change grids.
”I think if he went to Melbourne today he would be three seconds too slow,” the Italian told the newspaper. ”But, with the talent he has, he can be ready with a full year of testing.”
Peter G,
Thanks a lot for that. Doesn’t it show what a politician Alonso is? Indeed, in this age of political correctness we’ll never know what a driver’s true point of view is. What a contrasting figure was Nelson Piquet!
PT
Thats why I don’t like Alonso ( especially after the McLaren fiasco and Rossi ( too much emphasis put on him in MotoGP and he commands far too much attention)
Give me Casey Stoner and Mark Webber anyday.
At least, they say what they think.
Peter G
I am an Alonso fan, but I’m getting seriously irritated by his opportunistic statements that are plainly foolish. Who is he to disregard Britain’s F1 talents. He seems to have no idea about Paul di Resta but says Liuzzi, Trulli and Fisichella are great talents!!!
As a driver I like him though, and as a World Champion contender as well. This year proved it.
I also agree about the Rossi phenomenon. Way too much importance is placed on him, so much so that Ducati has diluted its characteristic red colour scheme to incorporate Rossi’s yellow in the overalls. The mismatch of colour looks awkward but I guess that’s what you get with a 9-time champ who is now an Italian on an Italian bike.
PT,
Liuzzi, Trulli and Fisichella ARE all proven F1 talents. Di Resta may one day be a good F1 driver, but he has yet to prove it. Let us not forget that talented or not he has spent the last five years racing in DTM. Besides Alonso is allowed his opinions whether you think they are opportunistic or not (I am not sure why you think they are).
Yeah, Stoner and Webber are honest in what they say and so were people like Alain Prost who openly compared his Ferrari to a truck. They are the genuine people. Today’s drivers, with the exception of the two Aussies, are trained to say the “right” things. Moto GP riders aren’t so inclined to political correctness but F1 pilots certainly are – it is one of the drawbacks of modern Formula 1.
Joe, you’re right.
But what bugged me was Alonso seeming to be so ignorant of any British talent (proven or not) other than Hamilton and Button. I know di Resta has yet to prove himself, but he is there, and almost on the threshold. Claiming to not know anyone from Britain worthy of being a talent, seems total arrogance directed against Britian and ignoring the fact that Britain has produced more championship winning drivers than Italy, and in close succession – 2008 and 2009.
In fact that was what the journalists asked (isn’t it?), why is it that Italy isn’t capable of churning out title winning drivers. Technically Britain is able to churn more, so instead of answering in an objective manner, he was just blowing the trumpet for Italy (guess that’s what he had to do at an Italian event).
Fisichella, Trulli and Liuzzi may be great drivers but not exactly championship winning. Alonso proved it as a team-mate to the former. To face the facts, Italy just hasn’t produced championship winning drivers for a long time.
And I’m an Alonso fan who’s feeling this way about his political correctness. But I agree with you that Alonso has his right of speech, although I wonder whether he has ever exercised that instead of his diplomatic obligations-driven right of speech!
To call Ago the best ever, well, that’s one interpretation. But don’t forget he was able to race on a works machine when everyone else was struggling on far more agricultural machinery.
I think Hailwood might have a claim to greatness, but even he tended to be riding better bikes than most of his oposition. For me, Rossi’s switch from Honda to Yamaha while winning the title settles it, and for good mesure he has won the title on 500cc, 1000cc and 800cc premier class machines with at least two other competitive factory teams trying to knock him off the whole time. Class.