Saturday’s Dutch TT round of MotoGP was a race packed with surprises and terrific battles. But aside from the racing, there is only one pass that stands out as the defining moment of the event, perhaps of the 2015 season so far: the last corner.
Going into the final lap, Valentino Rossi was in the lead, keeping at bay by less than 0.2 seconds Marc Marquez who had been on Rossi’s heels since the start of the race. Rossi was determined to win in order to extend his world championship lead over teammate Jorge Lorenzo by a precious 9 points. Marquez, feeling strong after a dismal beginning to the season, was equally determined.
On the final corner, Marquez dove inside Rossi, but only managed to get his front wheel beside the Italian’s leg when they touched. Rossi went wide, causing him to cut the corner and go straight through the gravel, while Marquez survived a serious woble but retained a safe line on the pavement. Rossi took the win a few seconds later.
“I was at the limit of myself… and the bike.” Rossi admitted immediately after the race speaking with reporters in the parc fermé (the official scrutineering area where winning motorcycles are inspected to make sure they comply with the rules). Later on at the official news conference, he added clarity.
“Marc push me… I was already into the corner and had to cut.”Â
He was adamant that he had no choice, that he had the racing line and that he opened the throttle as he entered the gravel to keep from falling down.
The post race interview press questioning lasted nearly twenty minutes, and all of it was focused on the incident. When asked if he felt that their relationship was now in trouble, given that after other races Rossi always smiled and engaged with Marquez, Rossi said “After the race everything is always hot.” and that he spoke with Marquez but saw his anger and decided it was better not to talk more.
Rossi tried to lighten up the proceedings by joking that he had gone into the gravel once before while passing, referring to another famous MotoGP incident at Laguna Seca in 2007.
Rossi currently leads the MotoGP world championship by 9 points.
