Rossi Denies He Will Replace Injured Massa For End Of ’09

Valentino Rossi has denided rumours circulating in Italian presses that he will fill in for the injured Felipe Massa at one of the remaining Formula One races in 2009.

Massa was injured in a horror shunt in Hungary, and looks set to miss the final races of the 2009 season, one which has been relatively disappointing for both Massa and Scuderia Ferrari.

Michael Schumacher was set to replace Massa but has pulled out with fitness problems.  Ferrari turned to Luca Badoer just one week ahead of the new GP in Valencia.

Rossi has often flirted with the idea of racing for Ferrari, and has tested on two occassions but once again denied he has been approached stating meerly that he could not with Yamaha commitments, and how much of a shame it was that Schumacher would not be racing now.

“It is a true shame not to see Schumacher back with Ferrari,” the Italian rider said in the Czech Republic, ahead of this weekend’s round of the MotoGP series.

“In my opinion he could have been in the fight for victory by his second race.”

“I have spoken a lot with Stefano Domenicali in these last days about the return of Schumi,” he is quoted as saying by Italy’s Tuttosport, “but I have not received an offer.

“Anyway, I cannot go: I can’t race motorbikes and F1 at the same time,” Rossi added.