Valentino Rossi has seat fitting ahead of F1 drive

MOTOGP legend Valentino Rossi has been pictured undertaking a seat fitting with the AMG Mercedes Formula 1 team this week. The picture shows Rossi being fitted ready for a scheduled test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia on Monday.

The MotoGP ace is set to trade places with F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, as the two swap rides for a day. The deal has been on the table for some time, with mutual sponsor Monster Energy helping grease the wheels.

The seat fitting picture was posted to Rossi’s social media channels and shows him being fitted for the seat at the Mercedes F1 team’s Brackley HQ. Due to in-season testing rules, Rossi won’t be able to try out the latest generation F1 technology, instead, he is being prepped to drive the 2017-spec W08.

Hamilton is no stranger to swapping four wheels for two, as he’s already made a series of high-profile outings in track-prepped Yamaha YZF-R1s earlier in the year. Rossi’s record of four-wheeled exploits are much larger, having tested for Ferrari back in the mid-2000s and even considering a switch to F1 before conceding that his ship to that class had already sailed! Rossi does still race and rally, having been one of the star drivers and winners of the prestigious Monza tarmac rally for some time now.

Hamilton has admitted that he can’t contain his excitement at sharing the track with Rossi, saying: “I’m super excited about it. Just being on the same track at the same time as Valentino is going to be very, very surreal, and a real honour, because he’s such an icon in the sport, and he’s done so much. It’ll be cool to see him in my car as well.”