Rossi's father cautious over return

He also revealed that he had suggested Rossi retire from MotoGP after the injury.

The younger Rossi completed 26 laps on a Yamaha Superbike at Misano last night, his first time on a motorcycle since breaking his right leg in a practice crash at Mugello in early June.

The aim of the test was to see if Rossi would be fit enough to make an early comeback at the German Grand Prix in just over a week's time. Although he was still in pain in both his ankle and the shoulder he injured in a Motocross accident in April, he remained optimistic that he could be ready to race in Germany.

Graziano Rossi felt the test was successful, but said if Valentino did come back for Germany rather than his initial suggestion of the Brno race in August, he ought to use his first two races back to gently reacclimatise before the Czech GP, which he has won five times in MotoGP.

"For what he has gone through, things went fine," Graziano Rossi told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Perhaps his shoulder problem could be the most annoying. I think he has been quick and he wants to get back. I hope he feels ready for the Sachsenring.

"I believe that the German race and the one in Laguna Seca could be useful to get re-accustomed to riding and to find the pace again. Valentino must not forget what has happened to him and must not believe he can come back as if nothing had happened.

"But with two races to acclimatise, he can arrive at Brno - a track where he has a 'moral duty' - to fight at the front. At Brno he can't race without aiming for the podium."

But Rossi's father admitted his preference was for his son to wait longer before racing again - and that he had even urged him to consider quitting MotoGP altogether.

"Frankly I've tried to tell him that perhaps it would be better to delay his return, maybe even until next season or even better to never come back," said Graziano.

"He looked at me and he simply told me that it's not possible to leave bikes in this way."