Rookie driver Mikhail Aleshin, seriously injured during practice for the IndyCar finale at Fontana last month, is making good progress and could be back home in Russia by the middle of this month.

“We’re going to bring him back to Indianapolis either tomorrow or Wednesday,” said Dr. Terry Trammell, safety consultant for the Verizon IndyCar series and the orthopedic savior of Indy car drivers the past 34 years.

“I’d like to keep him in Methodist (Hospital) for one night so everyone can see him and then he could either stay in Indianapolis for a while or go back home. It’s his call and I think he wants to be back in Russia pretty quick but he doesn’t need to go into a rehab hospital.

“He’s going to be sore everywhere for quite a while but he’s been walking around the hospital in California and he’s doing really well.”

Aleshin suffered internal injuries, a broken right shoulder blade, cracked ribs and a concussion when he lost control at Auto Club Speedway in Turn 3, climbed over Charlie Kimball’s car and climbed the fence (RIGHT) before being dumped back on the track, right-side up. He’s been recovering in Loma Linda Hospital and spoke to RACER on Monday.

“I think they’re going to move me to Indy in a couple of days,” said Aleshin, who admitted he’s rather bored with sitting in a hospital bed. “I still have to heal, but it’s OK. It won’t take too long.”

The first Russian to compete in Indy cars is expected to make a full recovery and should be cleared to resume his racing career. Aleshin, who scored a strong second place at Houston in June (BELOW), says racing was his main priority after he regained consciousness following the crash.

“It’s the first thing I thought about when I woke up – how is my car, and can I race?” he said. “At the moment, the only thing I have to do is my recovery, and then I will think about 2015 when I am better.”