Sunday's Argentinian MotoGP came to a dramatic climax when Valentino Rossi and reigning double champion Marc Marquez clashed on the penultimate lap.
Seven time champion Rossi, using the extra-hard rear tyre, had reeled in Marquez after the young Spaniard changed to the softer tyre on the grid and pulled an early four-second lead.
Rossi made his first pass under braking for Turn 2 on the same penultimate lap, but ran deep, allowing Marquez to cut back underneath. This had been the sector in which Marquez was losing the most time to Rossi.
At the end of the back straight Rossi again dived for the inside on the brakes, into the right-hand Turn 5 hairpin. Marquez likewise attempted to beat Rossi to the apex, just as he had successfully done a few corners before.
But Rossi controlled his braking much better this time and instead of allowing Marquez to turn across behind him, replays show Marquez was forced to hesitate and lift slightly before leaning in again (due to Rossi still being alongside, a classic block pass).
With hindsight, that turn-in delay probably scuppered Marquez's chances of re-passing Rossi at that corner. But Marquez still attempted to pass, squirting the throttle but still being half a bikelength behind when they made contact at the apex (Rossi on the outside, Marquez on the inside).
A few seconds later the pair tangled again on the exit of the corner as Rossi, leading by almost a bike length, made the transition from right to left in preparation for the left-hand corner that followed.
Marquez's front wheel was hit by Rossi's rear wheel, sending the reigning double champion tumbling down the track. Race Direction launched an investigation but soon declared it a racing incident and, from the footage, it is hard to argue otherwise.
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