Despite the prognosis of a full recovery for Valentino Rossi being 5-6 months, it looks like there is a rush to get the Italian rider back.
Be it for MotoGP television ratings, or the need for the Fiat Yamaha team to keep its high profile rider (who might move to Ducati anyway), there is pressure in the paddock for Rossi to return.
As fans, everyone misses him and would like to see him back, but as a business the MotoGP is really suffering without him.
Rumours from here at MotoGP Assen are that Rossi could be back in the saddle already at Laguna Seca.
I can only imagine in less than perfect condition.
The question is: with Rossi a world champion who needs to be in top physical form, why the rush? The answers could be any number of possibilities.
If Rossi moves to Ducati could this be his last season with Fiat Yamaha? One in which he spends more time in physiotherapy than on the track.
With the replacement rider to Rossi just being announced, it seems a bit premature to be considering an even earlier return to racing than the MotoGP Brno previously aimed for.
And with Jorge Lorenzo’s ongoing success, the team is continuing to produce results without Rossi.
The Laguna Seca return might not be more than an off-the-cuff comment and only time will tell before we know when Rossi will be back.
As these things take their own progress (no-one can rush an injury) it will all be down to Rossi’s tibia to decide the return.