MotoGP: Honda, Yamaha argue over whether Valentino Rossi really did kick Marc Marquez in Malaysian GP

MOTOGP heavyweights Honda and Yamaha are still divided over whether Valentino Rossi kicked Marc Marquez into a crash as the title-deciding race looms.

MOTOGP heavyweights Honda and Yamaha are still divided over whether a kick from Valentino Rossi caused Marc Marquez to crash out of the Malaysian GP, as the title-deciding race looms this weekend.

Rossi was handed three rider penalty points for his role in the contentious clash, consigning him to a rear-of-grid start in the final race of the season at Valencia — pending the outcome of his appeal for a stay of execution to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

However, Rossi was cleared of kicking Marquez with MotoGP officials unable to identify any conclusive proof that such an act occurred.

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“Rossi’s evidence is that his foot came off the foot-peg as a result of the contact,” MotoGP race director Mike Webb told crash.net.

“From all the video evidence there is no clear shot that definitely shows that his foot slipped off the foot-peg because of contact or that he deliberately kicked.

“I don’t have that as a ‘smoking gun’ if you like.”

Honda themselves have only passed comment on the issue once, through a Q&A with Honda Racing Corporation executive vice president Shuhei Nakamoto.

He didn’t mince words.

“The data from Marc’s bike shows that even though he was picking up the bike trying to avoid contact with Valentino, his front brake lever suddenly received an impact that locked the front tyre, which is the reason for his crash,” Nakamoto said.

“We believe that this pressure was a result of Rossi’s kick.

“The data acquisition from Marc’s bike is available if anybody from Dorna, the FIM or media want to check.”

The team’s sponsor, Repsol, had gone several steps further with their own post-race press release, claiming Marquez crashed after an “unsportsmanlike kick from Rossi,” and labelling his acts as “absolutely intentional” and “reprehensible.”

The two statements were enough to push Yamaha into releasing an official response, before drawing a line on any further discussion over the incident ahead of Valencia.

“Yamaha would like to express its disagreement with the words that have been used to report on the incident between riders Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez,” it said.

“Both press releases included words that accuse Valentino Rossi of kicking Marc Marquez‘s bike that is something not proven by the investigation of the Race Direction.

“We therefore reject the wording used in the said published statements that do not correspond with the findings of the Race Direction.

“Yamaha has no wish to enter into further discussion regarding this unfortunate affair and our desire is to conclude the 2015 MotoGP season in the best possible way.”

Which, from Yamaha’s perspective, they are guaranteed: the company has beaten Honda to MotoGP’s teams title and constructors title, while the riders’ championship is also certain to come Yamaha’s way with only Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo in contention.

Watch all the MotoGP practice, qualifying and race action LIVE in HD on FOX SPORTS Australia this weekend.

Originally published as MotoGP: Honda, Yamaha argue over whether Valentino Rossi really did kick Marc Marquez in Malaysian GP