`I`m glad he drove with Ferrari`
World Champion Fernando Alonso is either unimpressed with MotoGP counterpart Valentino Rossi`s F1 forays, or he is ramping up some mind games with Ferrari prior to kick off in 2006.
Speaking at a news conference in Madrid, the 24-year-old Renault driver said it did not bother him that the motorbike racer joined the F1 world at a recent test in Spain.
``I`m glad he drove with Ferrari,`` said the Spaniard, ``because it means they lost valuable time preparing their cars during that show.``

However, Alonso did not criticise Rossi, who - albeit with a more powerful engine - logged impressive lap times in Spain. But he did warn that switching to two wheels would likely be `very difficult` for the Italian.

``He might finish fifth or even get on the podium some time,`` said Fernando, ``but I could do the same on bikes if I was given a bit of time to practise.``

Alonso is the third commentator to muse on the Rossi topic this week, after Gerhard Berger and Alex Zanardi both said the 27-year-old is made of the right stuff to succeed in F1.

``I would rather hire him than anybody else at the moment,`` Toro Rosso co-owner, Berger, told Motor Cycle News.

Former F1 and Champ Car driver Zanardi, however, was quoted as telling Gazzetta dello Sport that Rossi is not yet ready to change grids.

``I think if he went to Melbourne today he would be three seconds too slow,`` the Italian told the newspaper. ``But, with the talent he has, he can be ready with a full year of testing.``

Tags: grand-prix,