Cycle News

MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 / APRIL 6-8, 2018 TERMAS DE RÍO HONDO / SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO PROVINCE, ARGENTINA P76 Rossi, Marquez at War Again Valentino Rossi stormed to Race Director Mike Webb in Argentina after he'd been knocked out of the race by Marc Marquez, demanding that he should take action against his persistent dangerous riding, for making MotoGP like "a destruction derby." But Marquez defended himself to the media, protesting an inno- cent mistake in difficult conditions. Rossi was eloquent in his criti- cism. "This is a very bad situation, because he destroys our sport," he said. "He don't have respect for his rivals. Never." Accidents could happen, of course, but "this weekend he make like this with Vinales, Dovi, me on Saturday morning and today in the race with two riders. "He goes between your leg and the bike. He does it purposely, because he knows he won't crash but he hopes you will. "He tries to make you scared. I don't have fun when I race with him, because he don't play clean. I am scared when I am on the track with him, because I know he comes to me. Today I saw on the board he was one second faster than me. Why he not overtake me at the next corner?" he asked "It is a dangerous situation. I said to Mike Webb, you have to do something." He poured scorn on Marquez's visit to his pit directly after the race. Marquez came with team man- ager Alberto Puig and his personal Svengali Emilio Alzamora, but was turned away angrily by Rossi's boon companion "Uccio" Salucci. "His apology is a joke," said Rossi. "It is PR. He doesn't come alone, but with Honda and his manager." Marquez's explanation was in detail. "It was a tricky race. My first problem was with the engine on the grid. I put my hand up but nobody saw. So I pushed it, and luckily it started." He said he'd asked a marshal whether he should go to pit lane or to his grid but he didn't know. Then he thought he'd been waved back to his grid slot. "That was a mistake by Race Direction," he said, of his ride- through. "My biggest mistake was with Aleix because I arrived so fast. I tried to not hit him. "Then with Valentino I didn't think I did anything crazy. You need to understand the track condition. The line was dry, but I took a wet patch and locked the front. I had to release the brake. Okay, we had a contact. I tried to turn, then when I saw him crash, I tried to say sorry. "But if you check, look at Zarco with Dani, Petrucci with Aleix—it was quite difficult today. Today they were mistakes for the track condi- tion." Five hours after the race there had been no confirmation of any further sanction from Race Direction, but after Rossi caused Marquez to crash at the Malaysian GP in 2015, Rossi was handed a pit-lane start at the next race. Rossi (46) was incensed after being punted out of the race by Marquez (93).

• Cover