(Reuters) - Valentino Rossi has suffered slight liver and kidney lesions in a motocross accident, but the Italian MotoGP great is making "positive progress" and could be released from hospital on Friday, his Yamaha team said.
The 38-year-old nine times world champion was admitted to hospital in Rimini after the accident in eastern Italy on Thursday.
"Valentino will continue to receive pain relief over the next 12 hours and, over the course of the day, he will undergo routine diagnostic tests," Yamaha said in a statement.
"If the results are positive, he may be discharged from the hospital within the day."
Yamaha said Rossi, currently third in a championship he led before crashing in France last weekend, had spent a quiet night in hospital and felt less pain in his chest and abdomen.
"The pain is the result of slight liver and kidney lesions that have not evolved into further complications," the statement added.
Rossi's home grand prix at Mugello, near Florence, is the next round of the MotoGP championship on June 4.