Rossi Rides For First Time Since Injury, Eyes Rapid Return
July 07, 2010 | By Paul Kelly
It’s looking more and more like MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi will race at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 27-29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Rossi tested a Yamaha World Superbike Team machine July 7 at Misano, Italy, just 32 days after he suffered a compound fracture of his lower right leg in a vicious, high-side crash June 5 in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.
Seven-time MotoGP World Champion Rossi turned 26 laps and may return to his Fiat Yamaha MotoGP machine as early as the next event, the German Grand Prix on Sunday, July 18 at the Sachsenring.
“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,” Rossi said. “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 12 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’s Fiat Yamaha teammate, 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Jorge Lorenzo, has won three of the four races during Rossi’s absence and leads the World Championship by 52 points over Dani Pedrosa. Rossi has slipped from second to seventh in the standings.
There are three American riders in the top 10 of the MotoGP point standings: 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden is tied for fourth, rookie Ben Spies is eighth, and Colin Edwards is tied for 10th.
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IMS tickets: Tickets for the 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP are on sale now. A new structure offers additional value and flexibility to fans attending the annual MotoGP event.
Among the highlights of the new ticket structure are lower prices and single-day reserved and general admission tickets for Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 29.
Fans can order tickets online at www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Online orders can be made at any time. Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
General admission tickets provide access to the grounds and to the viewing mounds along the infield section of the circuit, which provide excellent angles to see the greatest riders in the world.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.