MotoGP: Rossi back on track this afternoon, aiming for Aragon return

 Valentino Rossi looks set to return to track action tomorrow, less than three weeks after breaking his leg in a training crash on his enduro bike and potentially even with the goal of riding at this weekend’s MotoGP race at the Motorland Aragon circuit.

Only 18 days since the nine-time world champion underwent surgery to have a broken tibia in his right leg pinned after a low-speed fall while out riding with friends, the Italian will reportedly take to track at his home circuit of Misano tomorrow on one of the Yamaha R6 machines that he and the VR46 Academy riders use for training at the home of the San Marino Grand Prix.

And if that test goes successfully, Italian media are reporting that he will then head to Aragon to attempt to ride his M1 race bike on Friday morning, despite the team confirming last week that Dutch World Superbike rider Michael van der Mark would step into his place on the factory machine while Rossi continued to recover.

The last time he suffered a similar injury was back in 2010, when he also broke the same leg in a crash at Mugello, missing out on 40 days of MotoGP track time while he recovered and costing him the chance to pick up a tenth world title.

Having missed his home race at Misano last week, Rossi now lies some 42 points behind joint championship leaders Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso with five races left.

Update: Yamaha have released a statement this evening confirming that thanks to adverse weather that Rossi in fact returned to action this afternoon on an R1M at Misano – but crucially still hasn’t made a decision on his Aragon return.

Following an enduro accident on August 31st, Valentino Rossi has been diligently working on his recovery from the double fracture in his right leg. Today the nine-time World Champion put his fitness level to the test and successfully completed a few laps around the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on a YZF-R1M, before rain disrupted the trial run.

As today’s riding session was cut short due to the change in weather, the evaluation of Rossi‘s physical condition was inconclusive. He will decide by the end of Wednesday, September 20th, whether he will attempt to take part in this weekend’s Gran Premio Movistar de Aragón.