The injured MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi is hoping to return to racing this month, far earlier than expected, after getting back on two wheels for the first time since he broke his leg.
His Yamaha team confirmed the 31-year-old completed 26 laps of Italy's Misano circuit on a Yamaha superbike but reported pain in his leg and shoulder.
Despite that, they say the Italian will decide in the next week whether to return for the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring on July the 18th.
Rossi, who has been walking on crutches since the end of last month, had said he hoped to return to racing at the Czech Grand Prix on August the 15th.
He broke his leg on June the 5th in his home Grand Prix at Mugello.
Rossi's Spanish team mate Jorge Lorenzo leads the championship by 52 points after winning the last three races.
Rossi has slipped to seventh overall.
