Valentino Rossi says Andrea Dovizioso's attempt to take second at Turn 1 in the closing stages of the MotoGP Dutch TT was “not very clever”, and feels it cost both of them the podium.
Rossi led the manic 26-lap Assen race briefly late on after passing Dovizioso at the Gert Timmer chicane, though the pair were usurped by eventual race winner Marc Marquez a few turns later at the Ruskenhoek.
Dovizioso got the better of Rossi at Turn 1 with five laps remaining, though Rossi retook second at the chicane once again. In attempt to pass the Yamaha, Dovizioso forced both off at the first corner.
The Ducati rider held third, but quickly slid to fourth, where he finished, while Rossi was left to consolidate fifth.
Rossi said the move was “strategically not very clever”, though Dovizioso feels it was nothing more than a racing incident.
“After, with five laps to go, I tried to attack, and I was good because I was in second place,” Rossi, whose championship deficit to Marquez grew to 41 points, stated.
“But fighting with Dovizioso, Dovizioso tried to overtake on the front in the first corner, but he arrived a little bit late.
“So unfortunately I have to go out of the track, and I lose a lot.
“I think that was an aggressive overtake, like a lot of aggressive overtakes during the race, but especially it was strategically not very clever, because I think that we have the potential both, me and Dovi, to arrive on the podium.
“And because of this, we arrive just fifth.”
Dovizioso added: “I was on the inside, and it was down to me this time on the brakes. We both went deep, him more, but that's how it went.”
'Lucky' to avoid big incident with Lorenzo
Rossi managed to hit the front of the pack chasing early leader Jorge Lorenzo, and nearly wiped out the Ducati rider when he ran into the back of him as he gathered up a front end moment at the fast Meuwenmeer.
Rossi admits he was “very lucky” in the incident because he hit Lorenzo “in a good way”.
“It was a wild race. I'm so happy to be there because was very exciting for all the race.
“But I'm sad for [missing] the podium, because I think I have the potential to arrive on the podium.
“But the problem is, at the beginning I was very lucky with Lorenzo because Lorenzo touch the kerb and lose the front at very high speed, and I hit him because I was already in acceleration.
“But I hit him in a good way, and we don't crash. So it was very good, and after during the race it was very difficult.”
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