Rossi set to make remarkable return

(GETTY IMAGES)

Valentino Rossi has been cleared to race in Sunday's MotoGP round in Germany – just six weeks after breaking his leg.

The 31-year-old Italian was examined by circuit chief medical officer Huber Fischer at the Sachsenring and deemed fit enough to compete. Rossi suffered the injury in practice for last month's Italian Grand Prix and was initially told by doctors that he would be out for at least three months.

He has missed four races and dropped to seventh in the standings led by his Spanish team-mate Jorge Lorenzo. "Immediately after the crash the doctors said it could be five months before I was fit to return; maybe five months to play football, but I just need to ride the bike," Rossi said.

"The feeling in Misano was quite positive and the feeling in Brno was even better, so we made the decision to return this weekend," he added, referring to two recent tests on a Yamaha superbike. "I'm in pretty good shape, but it will be difficult over full race distance."