Valentino Rossi to drop bikes for cars as he eyes a four-wheel switch

MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi says he sees the next phase of his career on four wheels rather than two.

Last week, the 40-year-old Italian got at the wheel of Lewis Hamilton's title-winning Mercedes in a high profile PR event.

"That would work for me," Rossi laughed when asked by Sky Italia if he will permanently swap places with Hamilton's teammate Valteri Bottas from 2020.

Rossi was speaking in Abu Dhabi, where he took a class win in a Ferrari 488 GT3 at a 12-hour race.

"Unfortunately, I'm starting to be pretty old, but if Bottas wanted to ride a Yamaha M1 bike beside Maverick Vinales, that's ok with me," he laughed again.

Rossi has a contract with Yamaha for 2020, but it is rumoured he will retire from MotoGP after that.

He has already said he wants to do Le Mans in the future.

"I've always said that after I finish on bikes, I would like a decade in cars," said the seven-time world champion.

"I could do five or six races a year with cars that suit me the best.  The 24 hour races at Le Mans and Spa are probably the best for this."