MotoGP star Valentino Rossi is heading to F1 in 2007, according to his current team boss at Yamaha.

Ahead of this weekend's French Grand Prix, Davide Brivio, told Gazzetta dello Sport that Rossi will stay with Yamaha for 2006 then switch to four wheels in 2007, in an attempt to emulate the success of John Surtees, the only man to win World Championship titles on bikes and in F1.

"There aren't any problems regarding the renewal of his contract for 2006," said Brivio. "We have decided to talk about it after the Italian Grand Prix. We have already agreed on a one-year contract and we know that from 2007 he will be in Formula One."

Rossi, who is leading the MotoGP Championship, told the newspaper: "From the end of 2006 I will be free and if I have offers to race in a car I will weigh them up."

It's unclear which team he would join, but the hot favourites would have to be Ferrari, the team with which Surtees won his title in 1964.

"We are friends," admitted the Italian. "I have driven for them but there is not only Ferrari.

"When I was a kid I started out in kart racing and then, luckily, I discovered motorcycling," he continued, "but my passion for the car has remained. I've tried rallying and I like driving the powerful WRC cars. It is a family passion which I share with my grandfather Graziano."

Rossi enjoys enormous fame, but not only within MotoGP circles. In addition to his undoubted skills - on 2 and 4 wheels - the Italian is regarded as one of sport's true characters.