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Tito Rabat has ridden a motorcycle for the first time since his leg-breaking Silverstone crash ahead of a planned MotoGP comeback in next weekend’s Valencia season finale.
Rabat has been out of action since he sustained a triple fracture of his right leg when he crashed at Stowe during practice for the abandoned British Grand Prix in late August and was hit by Franco Morbidelli’s Honda.
The Avintia Ducati rider had originally hoped to return to action in Thailand at the start of October, but the lengthy nature of his recovery forced him to skip that race and the subsequent Japanese/Australia/Malaysia triple-header.
The inexperienced Christophe Ponsson controversially deputised for Rabat at Misano before World Superbike regular Jordi Torres was drafted in to ride for Avintia until Rabat was able to return.
The 2014 Moto2 champion is now aiming to race again at Valencia next week, and returned to track action in a private test on a Ducati road bike on Tuesday at the Spanish track.
Assuming he gets clearance from circuit doctors, it is expected Rabat will at least take part in Friday practice before making a decision on whether he sees out the weekend.
Torres will also be on standby for Avintia despite the fact he missed last weekend’s Sepang race through injury.
He suffered a fractured left thumb in a crash during practice four at the Malaysian venue, and was operated on by regular MotoGP surgeon Dr Xavier Mir on Tuesday. He was released from hospital on Wednesday morning.