World champions!

[Nordic]

  Comparing what Il Grande John did in the early sixties to what Rossi would have to pull off is pointless.  In the era that Surtees made the switch the dynamics of driving a 1.5 liter F1 car and a GP bike were quite similar, both generated no downforce and were mounted on narrow, hard tires.  GP cars had to be driven with the finesse of a bike to get the best from them. 

Geoff Duke, in some peoples eyes the greatest rider of his era also tried to cut it in cars but never made the grade, which makes surtess achivements all the more amazing.

Sheene also had a couple of outings in touring cars, but i don't think his heart was in it and it did'nt last long.

Rossi has bucket loads of talent, wether that would translate into racecraft in an F1 is to early to say, but it could be fun watching.

[Fax]

The one biker that Jackie Stewart always felt had the ability to cut it in top level single seaters was Bill Ivy.  He did a few F2 races against JYS and Jochen Rindt and gave them everything they could handle but sadly got killed by his Jawa before we could find out for sure.
Fax

[jpchenet]

  Comparing what Il Grande John did in the early sixties to what Rossi would have to pull off is pointless.  In the era that Surtees made the switch the dynamics of driving a 1.5 liter F1 car and a GP bike were quite similar, both generated no downforce and were mounted on narrow, hard tires.  GP cars had to be driven with the finesse of a bike to get the best from them. 

Geoff Duke, in some peoples eyes the greatest rider of his era also tried to cut it in cars but never made the grade, which makes surtess achivements all the more amazing.

Sheene also had a couple of outings in touring cars, but i don't think his heart was in it and it did'nt last long.

Rossi has bucket loads of talent, wether that would translate into racecraft in an F1 is to early to say, but it could be fun watching.

Didn't Sheene do very well in truck racing??

[Nordic]

I don't remmember Sheene driving a truck, I never followed truck racing closely, However Steve Parish did and was world champ I think.

One of the Aussie riders drove GT in Japan, was it Gardner?

[jpchenet]

Yes Parish created quite a career in truck racing.

I do definately remember Sheene doing it as well. I think Sheene had a stint in touring cars too!

[Robbo SPS]

I don't remmember Sheene driving a truck, I never followed truck racing closely, However Steve Parish did and was world champ I think.

One of the Aussie riders drove GT in Japan, was it Gardner?

One of the EX World Super Bikers drove in BTCC a few years back in a private run Astra. Scott SLIGHT ?? an Aussie maybe ?

[Fax]

1986 500cc champ Wayne Gardner drove at Le Mans a few times and had some success in the Aussie tin-tops.
Over here Eddie Lawson and Kevin Schwantz both tried a switch to four wheels without much luck.  Lawson in Indy Lights (he did manage to win a race or two) and  Kevin took a stab at the NASCAR Busch series.  I guess to moral to all this is that greatness on two wheels doesn't necessarily mean it will translate to four.
Fax

[Barry]

Scott SLIGHT ?? an Aussie maybe ?

Think it was Aaron Slight, and he was an Aussie

[Robbo SPS]

Thanks barry, i was getting mixed up with Scott SMART, current Kwaker rider in BSB.

[Lorry]

Wasn't it mike Hailwood who drove for Gulf (and Formula 5000) for a couple of years in the days of the GT 40, then went back to bikes.  Never made F1 but still as quick as the rest of the team

[Fax]

Mike Hailwood drove for the John Wyer/Gulf GT-40 and Mirage team in sportscars and for Team Surtees in F1 and F2, winning the 1972 Euro F2 championship.  Drove some fine individual F1 races with a best finish of second in the '72 Italian GP.  Was awarded some kind of bravery medal for his rescue of Clay Reggazoni from his burning BRM at Kyalami in 1973.  His GP career ended with a nasty crash in the 1974 German GP at the Ring driving a Yardley McLaren.  Crashed heavily on landing at the Flugplatz and badly broke his leg, never drove in F1 again.  Returned to the IOM in 1979 and won the Senior TT.  Was tragically killed a few years later in a traffic accident while taking the kids out for fish & chips.
And yes, this is all of the top of my head.
Fax

[Nordic]

He also drove a Gulf 917 for John Wyer in 70 that he crashed into the Alfa T33/3 of Carlo Facetti that had spun.

When he got back to the pits, he was told by david Yorke 'don't call us, we will call you'

[Andy Zarse]

In the Sunday Times yesterday, there was a little article  on Mike Hailwood written by Murray Walker. Muzza and Mikes dads were pals apparently. I always felt he never had the right machinery to shine in F1, though I doubt he would ever have been World Champ, he may just have won the odd race. He was without doubt though the greatest motorcyclist ever.

My interest in motorbikes was largely influenced by Mike's comeback to the TT on the Sports Motorcycle Ducati. My Dad, never the world's biggest bike fan, thought it was fantastic. For that, I owe Mike a great debt. Mike and his daughter were killed, as has been said, going to buy fish and chips in his Rover SD1. The irony is as palpable today as it was then. The accident happened on the road that goes under Spagghetti Junction and was about half a mile away from where I bought my first house and I could never drive by without thinking about them.

[Nordic]

If anyone is interested I am selling poster signed by Mike Hailwood (and Jackie Stewart) on ebay at the moment.

Its a bit tatty round the edges but both autographs are clear.

I am not really into this kind of thing, its just sitting in my loft at the moment.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8716064888&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

(I know arnage is spelt wrong!)