Ferrari have invited world motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi to take a test drive in one of their Formula One cars.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said he was curious to see if the 24-year-old Italian could handle a Formula One car.

"If the conditions were right I think it would be worth it - a serious test without commitment from either party," Montezemolo said.

Rossi has spoken in the past of an interest in racing in F1. And the Italian competed in the Rally of Great Britain last year.

Di Montezemolo was speaking the day after Ferrari won the F1 drivers' and constructors' titles and Rossi a third consecutive MotoGP crown.

The Ferrari president said: "It's always been difficult to go from two wheels to four and these days it is even harder. Today Formula One is much more dangerous than it was in the past, but Valentino is a great champion and a symbol of motor sports."

Englishman John Surtees is the only man to win world titles on two wheels and four.

The Londoner won seven world motorcycling championships before clinching the Formula One world title with Ferrari in 1964.