Marco Bezzecchi
MotoGP’s documentary about the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix reveals what Valentino Rossi said to Dani Pedrosa about his incident with Marc Marquez immediately after the race.
Rossi and Marquez were engaged in an epic tussle for third place, but the Yamaha rider was unhappy with his rival’s riding. On lap seven out of 20, after they had repeatedly exchanged places, they collided at turn 14.
A post-race investigation determined that Rossi had forced Marquez off the track, though they were not able to determine whether his apparent ‘kick’ towards the Honda bike was deliberate.
When will Marc Marquez beat Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP records?
Rossi finished third, while Marquez retired, but the three penalty points he received for the incident transformed the title race. They triggered a back-of-the-grid start for the season finale in Valencia, which allowed Jorge Lorenzo to snatch the championship away from his teammate.
Valentino Rossi accused Marc Marquez of ‘deliberately’ pushing him wide
Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa won the race ahead of Lorenzo. He asked Rossi about the crash in the cooldown room prior to the podium ceremony.
Rossi said Marquez was using the same tactics that had riled him at Phillip Island a week earlier. He believed that the Spaniard was toying with him on the circuit to help his compatriot Lorenzo win the title.
The exchange with Pedrosa, captured in the documentary, played out as follows.
Do you agree with Rossi’s verdict on the Sepang clash with Marquez?
Pedrosa: “What happened with Marc?”
Rossi: “He’s a son of a b—-. Incredible.”
Pedrosa: “Why?”
Rossi: “He was deliberately trying to push me wide when we were braking, then he was stopping in the middle of corners.”
Pedrosa: “Really?”
Rossi: “Yes, like at Phillip Island.”
Valentino Rossi knew that 2015 was his ‘last chance’ to win a world title
Rossi’s rivalry with Marquez was one of the most captivating in MotoGP history, and this was the moment that ignited the feud. Even to this day, the two riders do not speak to one another.
Marquez equalled Rossi on seven premier-class titles last season and he has a golden chance to overtake him in 2026.
Back in 2015, the consensus in the paddock was that Rossi had his last chance to win an eighth championship. It proved to be correct: he would only win three more races before he retired in 2021.
The ‘Sepang clash’ documentary was one of the most viewed videos on the MotoGP YouTube channel in 2025.
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