Ferrari offers Rossi $72 million

Ferrari confirmed it wants to give world motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi his Formula One debut in 2007 but denied reports that an agreement has been already reached. Italian media speculated that Ferrari was prepared to give the Italian rider – Italy's most popular sportsman – a three-year contract worth euro60 million (US$72 million).

Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher's contract with Ferrari expires at the end of 2006, the same year to which Rossi recently extended his MotoGP contract with Yamaha.

"We are interested and would like to have him with us, because we believe the Ferrari-Rossi combination is very alluring," Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport published Saturday.

"It depends on him … if he wants to seriously begin a career in Formula One he will have to undergo tests. We have not yet discussed a program of tests – let's wait until he wins the title and then we will see." EitB24

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