15-times world champion Giacomo Agostini says Valentino Rossi's accusations that Marc Marquez deliberately targeted him in the Argentina MotoGP race are 'not true' and 'exaggerated'.
Marquez collided with Rossi at Turn 13 in the closing stages of the Argentine Grand Prix, forcing the Italian onto the wet grass where he crashed.
Rossi rejoined to finish 19th, while Marquez – who had been handed a ride-through penalty earlier in the race for failing to start from pitlane after stalling his bike on the grid – was given a 30-second penalty post-race, dropping him from fifth to 18th.
Marquez was accused by Rossi of “destroying the sport” and deliberately crashing into him, while the Spaniard felt his move on the Yamaha rider was “nothing crazy”.
Speaking with Radio 24, Agostini did not condone Marquez's actions, but says any further penalty for the Honda rider risked negatively affecting the racing, while also claiming Rossi's comments were made in the heat of the moment.
“He shouldn't be disqualified, he was already punished in the race,” Agostini said of Marquez.
“If we disqualify a rider every time, we won't race anymore. This goes for everyone. I'm thinking about [Andrea] Iannone who knocked [Andrea] Dovizioso down two years ago.
“He should have been disqualified then, but if we do this we'd have no-one racing.
“It's not true that Marquez goes for a rider's legs, as Rossi says. Everyone's wound up now and are exaggerating.
“What happened yesterday between Marquez and Rossi has happened to everyone, has happened to me, to Valentino Rossi and even happened again in that race when [Johann] Zarco knocked out [Dani] Pedrosa.”
He added: “I remember back when I raced, especially in England, where four would pass me as soon as I braked, left, right, there's always been this kind of fighting.
“But it's only right to have respect, and to not knock people down.”
In another interview with Virgin Radio, Agostini said Marquez was “stupid” but feels it is too easy to not understand the “tension” a rider is going through when they are fighting through the field.
“Marquez was stupid, I say it as a friend. He was gobbling them all up, he could have waited for the next turn and maybe prepare the pass better, while he thought here was room and he didn't make it.
“It's not right, I don't want to defend him but you have to see the situation too; with the tension there is, you're not as lucid like you are sitting at a desk.”
