The Cairns Post reports that 'Holloways Beach was abuzz this week after numerous sightings of a man who appeared to be the international motorbike racing champion.

'The man even signed autographs and took a female cafe worker for a ride on his black motorcycle.

'He and three taller men who appeared to be his "minders" made a number of visits to [a] cafe during the week with their final visit on Tuesday morning.

'He signed autographs as "the Doctor", posed for photos and took 23-year-old cafe worker Melissa Taifalos for a spin on his bike.'

When asked by staff at the café if he was indeed the MotoGP star, the lookalike is said to have replied "Yeah, the Doctor".

The newspaper soon established that it wasn't the Italian superstar, although 'even after The Cairns Post told cafe staff pictures they had taken of the man did not look like Rossi, several were still convinced'.

The story of the fake Rossi was subsequently published and the lookalike in question, Cairns waiter Stefano Zanzottera, came clean shortly after.

"The guests and staff [where I work] call me Valentino all the time, as a joke," he said. "They [the staff at the cafe] said 'Valentino?', I said 'Yeah, the Doctor' [sarcastically]."

"In the past two weeks I have probably been [to the cafe] four times," he said. "I don't know why on the last time they thought I was Valentino."

The waiter, who - like Rossi - rides a Yamaha motorcycle, said he signed the autograph as a joke but claimed that he isn't even a Valentino fan.

"I don't even watch MotoGP," he said. "Sure, I'd like to be him [Rossi] and have lots of money, but no."

"I am so sorry. I feel so bad," he claimed. "From now if anyone says 'Valentino Rossi?' I say 'No, I am not him!"

The real Valentino Rossi will be back on track at next weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.