Rossi to be Ferrari test driver?

The latest rumour to be sparked by Valentino Rossi's return to a F1 cockpit is that the six-times motorcycling world champion could become an official test driver for Ferrari.

Italian magazine Autosprint quotes 'Ferrari sources' as saying that during Rossi's latest test, conducted in private, the Italian lapped within 1.5secs of Michael Schumacher's lap record around the Fiorano test track.

Rossi is also said to have covered 375km over the two days, which meets the 300km minimum required when applying for an F1 superlicence.

Ferrari currently employs Marc Gene and Luca Badoer as their official test drivers and will field Brazilian Felipe Massa as a replacement for Rubens Barrichello, alongside Schumacher, for the 2006 racing season. Rossi has already committed to MotoGP with Yamaha next year, but is free to choose his future after that.

A testing contract was traditionally seen as the first step towards an F1 race drive, although 'professional' test drivers - with no realistic chance of graduating to a race seat - are now frequent throughout the rich end of the F1 grid.

It is thought Rossi would be unable to accept an 'official' Ferrari testing role while racing in MotoGP due to sponsorship clashes.