Valentino Rossi may not have won a MotoGP race since Sep✨tember's Portuguese Grand Prix, but the Italian was back on the top step of the podium on Sunday 💮- at the Monza Rally Show (pictured).

The former five-times MotoGP world champion, who fractured his hand earlier this month, drove a Pirelli-shod Ford Focus WRC car to his se🐬cond successive victory in the end-of-season asphalt event.

Alex Perico had set the early pace for Peugeot, but Rossi took the lead halfway throuꦕgh the first leg and was able to build a 33-second advantage over Subaru's Piero Longhi by the finish - despite treacher🀅ous weather conditions producing standing water on many parts of the track.

Rossi had been in talks to do this coming weekend's Wales Rally GB, the final round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, which runs from November 30 to👍 December 2, however in the end the Italian ꦰopted not to take part.

To date, Rossi has done two WRC events, and last year he impressed on the Rally New Zealand, finishing eleventh overall, just 18.8 seconds off a place in the 🌌top ten in a Subaru Impreza WRC car.

The result was in stark contrast🌞 to how he did on his f𝐆irst WRC outing in 2002, when he crashed out on the Rally GB in his Michelin-backed Peugeot 206 WRC just 17 kilometres into the event.

Rossi meanwhile will be back on two wheels this week, during testing at Je🐽rez, when he is due to ride with Bridgestone tyres for the fir🅘st time.