Valentino Rossi Confirmed for Aragon MotoGP: Just 21 Days After Breaking Leg!

Valentino Rossi Confirmed for Aragon MotoGP
Valentino Rossi Confirmed for Aragon MotoGP!

Valentino Rossi Confirmed for Aragon MotoGP

Just three weeks after breaking his right leg, Valentino Rossi will return to the MotoGP grid at Motorland Aragon, round 14 of 18.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP says Rossi was declared fit to ride by Motorland Aragon Chief Medical Officer Clemente Millan, who completed the mandatory medical examination Thursday morning.

Rossi returns to racing just 21 days after fracturing his right tibia and fibula during an training session aboard an enduro bike. Rossi was sent to the hospital that night, and in the early morning hours doctors inserted some titanium, and the 38-year-old Italian began rehabilitation.

Valentino Rossi Confirmed for Aragon MotoGP
Valentino Rossi Confirmed for Aragon MotoGP!

In a style typical of a nine-time World Champion, Rossi returned to the track this past Monday and Tuesday – just 18 days after breaking his leg – and successfully piloted a Yamaha YZF-R1M street bike.

And now he will ride a YZR-M1 prototype alongside Maverick Vinales at the Aragon Grand Prix, which begins Friday with the opening two free practice sessions where Rossi is typically slower. In case Rossi didn’t race, Yamaha brought along WorldSBK pilot Michael van der Mark.

Rossi arrives at Aragon MotoGP fourth in standings – just 42 points behind the men tied for the lead, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso. In second, 26 ahead of Rossi, is Vinales. Rossi has never won at Aragon, but has laimed three third-place finishes in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

There is still plenty of time, and points, for Rossi to claim that 10th world title.

The news of Rossi’s August 31 enduro crash arrived after he made history at Silverstone. There, Rossi became the only rider in GP history to achieve 300 premier-class starts. Rossi finished fourth at the British Grand Prix, and was forced to miss his home race at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

Valentino Rossi returns to MotoGP 21 days after breaking leg

So far this season Rossi achieved four podiums, including a win at Assen. With five rounds remaining, VR46 is fourth in points with 157, 42 behind the men who are tied for first, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, who won at Misano, and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso.

Rossi also suffered another slight setback earlier this season during a motocross-training crash ahead of Mugello. He complained of pain in his stomach and chest, but raced anyway, and finished fourth at Mugello.

Rossi’s last fracture was during the 2010 Italian Grand Prix at Mugello; he missed six weeks of racing that year. That year he finished third overall.