MotoGP: Rossi Cleared to Race at Sachsenring This Weekend

What Happens When He Starts Walking on Water

9:22am EST — Valentino Rossi has been cleared by local circuit doctors to ride at this weekend’s round of the MotoGP championship at Sachsenring in Germany.  After testing at Misano and on James Toseland’s WSBK Yamaha Monday at Brno, Rossi said he felt fit to ride and his personal doctors had cleared him to do so, with only the circuit physical to overcome.  He has just been declared fit to ride by the circuit’s Chief Medical Officer, according to numerous accounts of team officials and those working at the circuit, just six weeks after a compound fracture to his right leg during Saturday morning warm-up at his home grand prix in Mugello.  More information will follow when available.

MotoGP: Rossi’s Replacement at Fiat Yamaha to Begin Racing at Barcelona

What Happens When We Still Don’t Know Who

1:56pm EST — After his horrific Saturday practice highside at Mugello which resulted in a compound fracture, Valentino Rossi has been forced out of racing to recover after a successful operation Saturday.  He will be out for as few a forty days and as long as the rest of the season.  While there is still no word as to who will replace the multi-time champion at Fiat Yamaha, it is know known that said replacement will begin work in Barcelona, for the race on the fourth of July.

According to Rossi’s prolifically tweeting mechanic Alex Briggs, “Update: our team VR side of garage will miss next two races. That means no Silverstone or Assen. We will be back 4 Barcelona~at Barcelona we will be working 4 another rider. This will be announced by yamaha in the future.”  Speculation will be swirl around the paddock and internet as to who will replace Rossi and team with current points leader Jorge Lorenzo, who finished second during today’s Italian Grand Prix to Dani Pedrosa.  For an excellent analysis of the crash and why it happened, check out David Emmett’s “Anatomy of a Crash” at Motomatters.com.