We have been burning the midnight oil to bring you the latest updates on Valentino’s Rossi’s first testing session after his injury. The good news is, the Doctor is back, and we should soon see him racing again. In a test session organized to test his fitness level at Misano, Valentino Rossi rode a YZF-R1 WSB machine provided by the Yamaha World Superbike Team to the Fiat Yamaha Team. Our hero did two sessions of 11 and 15 laps on the track, completing 26 laps in all.
In session one, Rossi managed a best time of 1’41. His timings dropped significantly in session 2 where he managed an unofficial time of 1’38.2 during the 15-lap outing. By comparison, at the recent SBK round at Misano, Sterilgarda Yamaha riders Cal Crutchlow (whose R1 Rossi was riding we reckon) and James Toseland posted lap timings of 1’36.546 and 1’37.216 respectively. Not bad at all for an injured man, eh?
Quite close to the SNK rider’s timings, Rossi reported pain in his leg and shoulder. The Doctor is looking forward to returning at Sachsenring, much sooner than the earlier planned Czech GP in Brno. Rossi will decide whether he is returning to action in the Sachsenring GP to be held in ten days later in the week. Even if the Doctor doesn’t make it to the Sachsenring he should be able to race at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway the following weekend.
In a press statement, Rossi said “We made this test in order to understand how we must work from here and to see more or less how I can ride the bike,” said Rossi. “The test was positive, because I can at least ride, but there is a lot more to a MotoGP race than to a test like this one. I had some pain in the ankle, the knee and the shoulder, but above all I lacked strength in the shoulder and a bit of movement in the ankle. I would really like to come back at Sachsenring, but it is still too early to say. We still have twelve days and we must wait and see how much we can improve my condition in the next few days. The Superbike today was good and great fun to ride! I really would like to ride at Sachsenring, but we must wait another week before making a decision.”
Rossi arrived at the track in leathers supplied by Dainese with extra protection in the right shin area. The leathers were spotted by MCN editor Marc Potter first. The right boot that Rossi wore was also a bigger size to house his still swollen right foot. His dad Graziano was also present at the occasion.
Image: MotoGP