Rossi will test more next year - 2nd September 22:27pm GMT

Valentino Rossi will test regularly for Ferrari next year in a programme that could fast-track the flamboyant Italian into Formula One.

Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said there was no reason why the 26-year-old, on his way to a fifth world title in motorcycling's top class this year, could not make the leap from two wheels to four.

"This winter and next year he'll do a few more serious tests. It's a kind of open-ended agreement," Brawn said at the Italian Grand Prix on Friday.

"There are some objectives. He's going to try and have more time next year to devote to this and I would expect he would be in the car once a month or once every six weeks.

"I think it will be a reasonable programme to have continuity and make a proper judgement," added Brawn.

Rossi, Italy's highest-earning sportsman with the charisma Formula One is crying out for, has done two tests for Ferrari this year. Both were shrouded in secrecy at the team's private Fiorano test track.

"One was a nice day out and the last one was a bit more serious. You can see he's got huge potential," said Brawn of the Yamaha rider who recently signed a one-year extension to his contract taking him up to the end of 2006.

"I think there's a huge potential from a driver point of view and from a commercial point of view you can imagine the potential it would have as well."

Media speculation has suggested that Ferrari could be planning to line up Rossi and McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen in a dream team for 2007 if world champion Michael Schumacher retires.

Brawn made clear that Ferrari were interested in Raikkonen.

"It's a nice ring to the names isn't it, Raikkonen and Rossi," he said.

"Everyone can see Kimi is a fantastic driver, he would be a catch for Ferrari. I think Michael's got to stop one day and the two guys you've got to say appeal are (Renault's Fernando) Alonso and Raikkonen."

Only one man has won world titles on two wheels and four, Briton John Surtees switching to Formula One with Ferrari and taking the championship in 1964.

Brawn said Rossi had plenty of courage and it was a question of seeing whether he had the speed. He expected that to become clear four or five months into the programme.

Asked whether he could envisage Rossi having his first four-wheeled race experience in a Formula One Ferrari, he said: "I think we need to see how things progress before we make those sort of predictions or scenarios.

"I think the thing that's difficult to give Valentino in the shorter term is four-wheel racing experience," added Brawn. "I think you can see very clear that he's got the ability to drive a car quickly.

"Once he learns all the nuances of driving a car quickly then he's going to be very fast.

"I see no reason why he shouldn't (race in Formula One)."