Valentino Rossi Penalty

What the hell happened this morning?

Valentino Rossi had a chance to wrap up the his tenth World Championship this morning. Now to be honest I did not expect that to happen, and I am sure neither did you. I was however expecting a big battle between Rossi and Marquez, they did not disapoint.

From the moment Rossi had Marquez right in front of him I knew it would end in disaster. Neither man will back down from the other as both want to crowned the greatest of all time, the present versus the future, the past versus the present whatever you want to name it, it happened today.

Sepang press conference

Rossi had accused Marquez in Thursday's press conference of helping Jorge Lorenzo to win the championship. A bit far fetched? I don't think so. He may not be helping to the degree Valentino is saying but he is definitely causing trouble. Marquez had the pace in Australia to break away earlier and I think he had pace again today. It was inevitable that he was going to cause Rossi hassle after his comments on Thursday and that he did. 

Hand of God or Knee of GOAT

Young Marquez pulled some very close overtaking moves on Rossi and from what I saw he touched him on numerous occasions. This went on for several laps, both men swapping positions and paintwork!

Rossi was becoming irritated with Marquez's tough overtaking moves and let him know this on a few occasions by making various hand gestures and head shakes. Marquez was out to prove a point though and kept coming.

Eventually Rossi had had enough and pushed Marquez wide into the turn and slowed down and threw him a glaring look as if to say cop on! Marquez of course responded with a nudge into Rossi's M1 Yamaha which resulted in Rossi lifting his foot off the foot peg and pushing Marquez away...next scene is Marquez in the gravel!

I don't believe for a second he intentionally wanted to knock him off the bike, he wanted him to stop interfering with him. Marquez was playing with the race pace and should receive a penalty too. Race direction even said that Marc was deliberatley trying to affect the pace of Rossi.

"Despite what Marquez said we think he was deliberatley trying to affect the pace of Valentino." - Mike Webb, MotoGP Race Director

This was always going to come to a head to head battle and it did today with Rossi receiving three penalty points and he must start from the back of the grid for the title decider in two weeks at Valencia. To be honest I don't think this is fair. Marquez must get punished for his actions too. There is doing your own race and winning which is fine but then there is upsetting a race outcome...that is not right. He is disrupting the title fight and acting like a child. He is a great rider but he needs to have a good look at himself.

By no means am I saying Rossi's behaviour is justified. A penalty was always going to be the outcome for lashing out like that but I think Marquez should be penalised too.