Schumacher: Rossi could make F1 switch

The Italian, who would be a marketing dream should he choose to join Ferrari, has had three separate tests with the Scuderia, the most recent in November.

"I think he could become a Formula One driver," Schumacher told a news conference at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites.

"He seemed to go pretty well in the tests he has been doing with us. But then there is always the question mark, can you do the last little bit? And that's always something you have to find out yourself after more experience in the car and I'm not sure he wants to do this or not."

"I think it's up to him to decide, and I'm pretty sure if he wanted to decide on Formula One, he would have his options to come to Formula One.

"I believe even Ferrari would be happy to support him but then I guess it is in his hands if he wants it or not," added the seven-times World Champion.

On Wednesday, Schumacher's Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa was sceptical of Rossi's readiness to compete - suggesting he would need to spend a year in the background as a test driver given he has not come through the ranks like other drivers.

"To race in F1 you need experience," said Massa. "Considering that he didn't race in the minor series, Rossi should test for at least an entire year. That's why I don't think he'll come over in 2007: he can't do it if he's also busy with MotoGP this year."

But Schumacher said that the switch from motorcycle to Formula One car could go smoothly for Rossi.

"First of all, I think he has some experience in go-karts, if I'm correct, but nevertheless, I think as a race driver, you have this sensitivity, whether it's on two wheels or four wheels," said the German.

Ducati Test

"Myself, I made the experience to go from four wheels to two wheels and that was pretty tough. I could pretty clearly imagine that I could not do what he is doing," he said, referring to his test run on a Ducati bike in October.

"If you go from two wheels to four wheels and we've seen this in the past, it has worked out and it needs somebody with a lot of talent and you can certainly say that Valentino has a lot of talent.

"In the tests that he was doing, he was consistently improving himself but he himself knows, in his sport, to do this last little bit, to be very competitive against everybody, that's the most difficult part and nobody knows if he can be or he can't.

"That's something he will have to try and find out, but then, as I said, it's up to him if he wants to do this or not."

Rossi has a year remaining on his Yamaha contract and has yet to decide whether to try and emulate Briton John Surtees, the only man to have won world titles on two wheels (500cc champion in 1956, 1958-1960) and four (F1 champion in 1964).

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, however, said he didn't think Rossi would make the switch.

"I don't think a top team like Ferrari can afford the luxury of... wasting time. No matter how good he might be, he needs experience. I don't think he'll come."