Rossi disappointed after incident at MotoGP MyZA

Valentino Rossi 2010 Qatar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Valentino Rossi‘s hopes of ending his three-year Mugello podium drought lay in tatters barely 30 seconds after the start of the Italian MotoGP.

A bumper crowd lined the rolling hills around the Tuscan track to watch their national hero fight for a top-three finish, but they – like Rossi himself – would go home disappointed.

The nine-time two-wheel world champion bumped fairings hard with Alvaro Bautista on the run to the third corner, the contact heavy enough to send both men into the barriers.

Neither were hurt but both were frustrated, the crash ruled a ‘racing incident’ after MotoGP officials, joined by both riders, analysed video replays.

“On the second corner I was on the outside already in front of Bautista,” Rossi said.

“For me, from the inside he opened the throttle to close the line so he doesn’t lose another position but I was already in front so he came to me and took me on the boot,” the Italian laying the blame at the Spaniard’s feet.

Bautista said he simply didn’t spot Rossi on his outside.

“I was on the inside and it is very difficult to see a rider on the outside from there,” he said.

“It was just a racing incident that leaves us both with a bitter taste in the mouth but neither of us is to blame.”

The crash prematurely ended a race that carried a great importance for Rossi. – Fox Sports