Today at Austin, Valentino Rossi swerved questions about the controversy surrounding the clash between himself and Marc Marquez in Argentina two weeks ago but said his stands by the comments he made after watching the race again.
Rossi crashed when he was hit by the Repsol Honda rider in a race that was chaotic from start to finish. Marquez was given a total of three penalties for riding the wrong way up the grid, hitting Aleix Espargaro and a third for the Rossi clash.
The Doctor said he preferred to look to the future but said: “Sincerely, I look the race and I think exactly what I said after the race in Argentina, so I confirm all my words. But is better to look forward.”
F1 arch enemies Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost were put aside their differences when they sat down together in a motorhome and spoke to each other at length, but Rossi says this will not happen with Marquez just yet.
“Maybe is not the time yet, maybe in the future,” he said.
Rossi and Marquez had separate media briefings, which is normal, and both were televised, which is not.
Neither were present in the main press conference due to Dorna not wanting handbags on live television. However, as they are both well away from the top of the championship, the series’ bosses could use that as an excuse to not have their two biggest stars front and centre in America.
In his briefing, Marquez also swerved any comment on what had gone on at Termas De Rio Hondo, save to say he wanted to 'learn' from what had happened.