Valentino Rossi has been passed fit to take part in Sunday’s Aragon MotoGP race just three weeks after suffering a double leg fracture.
The Movistar Yamaha rider passed a medical examination on Thursday at the Spanish circuit and will take part in Friday’s first practice session.
Providing Rossi comes through that with no adverse effects, he will attempt to qualify on Saturday ahead of the following day’s 14th round of the 18-race series.
The 38-year-old Italian, who suffered a double leg fracture while riding an enduro bike during a training exercise on August 31, has ridden a Yamaha YZF-R1M motorcycle twice since undergoing an operation to repair breaks to the tibia and fibula of his right leg.
Following his medical examination a tweet from the official MotoGP account read: “@ValeYellow46 passed FIT to ride at the #AragonGP!”
Rossi had said he would try to take part in Spain after he spent Monday and Tuesday at the Marco Simoncelli circuit in Italy testing out the fitness of his leg.
Rossi arrived at the Aragon circuit on Thursday morning walking with the aid of a crutch and after being passed fit he will take part in Friday’s practice aboard his YZR-M1 race bike.
The Italian told the pre-race news conference he was relieved to be able to race in Spain.
“First of all I am happy anyway to try,” he said.
Rossi needs to see if he can cope with the demands of riding a MotoGP machine after riding in Italy on a road-going version for the first time since his accident.
“I need to understand the feeling with the MotoGP bike because it is a bit different,” he added.
“In general I feel quite good. Fortunately I am not in too much pain. It is coming better very day.
“I tried some laps in Misano and there was a bit of pain, but I can ride. So we wait for (Friday) and we try to understand if it is possible to ride the bike at a good level.”
Yamaha had drafted in World Superbike rider Michael van der Mark as a possible replacement for Rossi if the Italian was not declared fit.
Rossi currently lies fourth in the world championship standings, 42 points behind joint leaders Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso, with five races to go.
