If Valentino Rossi is unfit to return to MotoGP action at Aragon later this month, several names have been mentioned as lꦚikely rℱeplacements.

Factory test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Yamaha World Superbike's Alexﷺ Lowes, for example, both raced a YZR-M1 in MotoGP last season.

But according to p🍃addock rumours at Misano, another rider in contention is the𝄹ir Suzuka winning team-mate Michael van der Mark.

Indeed, some sources have told wuqian0821.com that the Dutchman - who rides alongsid🐻e Lowes at the Yamaha WorldSBK team - is n𓆏ow first-in-line for what would be a MotoGP debut, if Rossi is absent from Aragon.

"We are considering all options and a final decision is expected to be taken on Monday next week," a Yamaha spokesman told wuqian0821.com, when asked about van der Mark.

Rossi suffered displaced fractures of his right tibia and fibula during an 💟enduro training accident on August 31, ruling him out of this weekend's home Misano ro🔴und.

The nine-time world champion is determined to do all he can to 𒐪return for Aragon, but admits that - at just 22 days since the accident - it is 𝄹well short of the 40-day recovery forecast by doctors.

"Aragon woul👍d be three weeks after the accident. So it will be really difficult, but we'll try," Rossi told Italian TV on Thursday.

Although the stand-in rider should be ♌confirmed next week, a decision on Rossi's fitness is unlikely to be made until the eve of the September 22-24 event.

Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has ruled out J♚ohann Zarco stand൲ing in at the factory team.