MotoGP is not the same w/o Vale! huhuhu
Injured Valentino Rossi promises comeback after injury
Rossi could miss up to six months following his crash on Saturday
Valentino Rossi has promised to return to racing when he recovers from the compound fracture of his right leg he suffered on Saturday.
The 31-year-old Italian faces a long lay-off after crashing in practice for the Italian MotoGP and will undergo a second operation on Monday.
"It'll take time, the important thing's to return to 100%. It was a bad fall," said the reigning world champion.
"Do not worry, I'll come back soon. I was afraid, now it's a lot better."
The six-time MotoGP champion joked that he was feeling good because "I have a great relationship with morphine", and thanked fans and fellow riders for the messages of support they sent him from Sunday's race, won by Dani Pedrosa.
Get well soon Vale, it just isn't the same with out the Doctor
Rossi46
"I thank all those at Mugello, I saw the banners and all the drivers who remembered me," he said.
Rossi, who had never previously missed a race in 15 years of racing, had four screws inserted into the injury during his operation in Florence on Saturday, and confirmed there was more work to do before he could leave hospital.
"The operation went well, Professor Buzzi worked well and looked after me as a family member," he said.
"Monday, there will be another operation to close the wound, then we will think about rehabilitation.
"I knew immediately that I had injured myself, seeing the foot a bit disconnected from the leg was bad.
"I saw the incident [on a replay] and it was awful, but it was much more so seeing it from the bike.
"They were difficult times, there was fear, then it got better. I was sedated. When I woke up there were the nurses who comforted me."
BBC Sport - Motorbikes - Injured Valentino Rossi promises comeback after injury