MOTOGP OF ITALY 2017 IS HERE AND VALENTINO ROSSI WILL BE RACING THIS WEEKEND!!

There are a few finer sights in MotoGP than a stream of riders heading down the main straight at Mugello with huge crowds and the Tuscan hills as the backdrop. Luckily, Valentino Rossi has been passed fit for his home Grand Prix at Mugello on Sunday 4 June 2017. 

Having recovered from injuries suffered in training, on Thursday he crashed, suffering a trauma to his thorax and abdomen and spending the night in hospital in Rimini, the 38-year-old was sent home the next day to continue his recovery. 

The injuries left his participation in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in doubt, it would have left a large number of fans disappointed and organisers worried about ticket sales. However, Rossi's recovery has improved sufficiently for doctors to declare him fit to participate at Mugello, starting with Friday's practice sessions. 

Valentino Rossi currently lies third in the rider standings, 23 points behind his Spanish Yamaha team-mate and overall leader Maverick Vinales. 

The 2016 race saw Jorge Lorenzo snatch victory from Marc Márquez by just 0.019s in the closest finish of the season. Do you think 2017 will bring another nail-biting classic finish?In the meantime, here are some highlights of some of the worst crashes at the MotoGP in 2016.