Rossi keeps his favoured #46 for Rally NZ

Former five-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi will be able to sport his famous #46 during an upcoming drive in Rally New Zealand, the penultimate round of the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship.

The FIA has agreed to let Rossi run with the number in his privately entered Subaru Impreza, despite the fact it has been used this season by Nigel Heath in the Production Car WRC category, of which New Zealand is the final round. Heath, also a Subaru driver, will compete in car #44 instead.

Rossi has always used the #46 in grand prix motorcycle racing, despite being entitled to run the #1 plate for the past five seasons. Rossi, who lost out on a sixth consecutive MotoGP crown when he fell in last Sunday's Valencian title decider, is scheduled to conduct a short test in the UK before Rally New Zealand, which runs from November 17-19. No details have been released on the test, as the Italian is trying to keep his participation very low key.