Rossi penalised for kicking Marquez at Malaysian GP
SEPANG: Championship leader Valentino Rossi will start the final race of the Moto GP season from the back of the grid after being penalised for kicking Marc Marquez during the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Dani Pedrosa won in Sepang, 3.6 seconds ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, who is seven points behind Rossi with one race remaining. Rossi finished third.
Rossi appeared to kick out at Marquez as the duo jostled for third place on lap seven, with Marquez crashing out. Rossi was given three penalty points when officials reviewed the incident.
Lorenzo and Pedrosa accused Rossi of lifting his leg as Marquez tried to overtake him, possibly impeding the Spaniard.
Marquez also lashed out at Rossi, saying the Italian had kicked the handlebar of his bike.
“We were overtaking at a very fast pace. I don’t know what was Valentino thinking. I did not expect him to carry his leg and push my handlebar. That is why I crashed,” Marquez said. “To hit (my bike) with his leg... I have — and also I think many other people have — lost respect for Valentino.”
Rossi denied he was at fault.
“I tried to go wide to get a better line to make him slow because he just rides to cause me problems,” Rossi said. “Unfortunately he came to me and I think he crashed in that moment.”
Rossi leads the standings on 312 points, seven more than Lorenzo on 315 with Marquez on 222.
The last race of the season is in Valencia on November 8.