Rossi tipped to drive Subaru in Rally NZ

Valentino Rossi

Motorcycling superstar Valentino Rossi is expected to be confirmed today as an entrant in Rally New Zealand next month.

Rally organisers had no comment yesterday but have scheduled an announcement for this morning.

The 27-year-old Italian has won the last five world titles in the premier MotoGP class on two wheels after previously winning the 125cc and 250cc titles. This year he expressed a wish to contest a world rally championship event.

The Yamaha rider is 12 points behind American Honda rider Nicky Hayden in this year's title race, with only the Portuguese and Spanish GPs to be run this month.

Rossi has rallied cars in Italy and briefly in the British round of the world championship. He is expected to drive a Subaru in the Propecia-sponsored New Zealand event at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, from November 17-19.

Speculation over the past few years has it that the flamboyant rider would make the switch from bikes to Formula One, trying to emulate Englishman John Surtees, who won world titles on two and four wheels.

Rossi had a successful test in a Ferrari Formula One car but has recently downplayed the possibility of a move in that direction. When he talked of competing in a world championship rally event this season, the choice was narrowed down to New Zealand and Britain because of his commitments to MotoGP.

Competitive motorcyclists have successfully switched to rallying, but rally drivers have a problem when they get on two wheels.

The latest casualty is world champion Sebastien Loeb, who recently broke his arm in a fall from a mountain bike and has put his title defence in jeopardy. He will need to be back at the wheel of his Citroen in New Zealand to keep his rivals at bay.

Loeb has been replaced for the latest round in Turkey by former champion Colin McRae.