On the eve of the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, the story of the last chicane in Assen, which saw Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) come out on top, still lingers in the minds of many.

Interviewed by the weekly magazine ‘Motosprint’, Repsol Honda Team Principal Livio Suppo returned to discussing this subject again: “I find it hard to believe that Valentino was not prepared for this. Let’s just say he had carefully considered this possibility. The way he stood his bike up and opened the throttle at the same time is indicative. He did it all too quickly for me to believe it was not prepared. It was very cunning.”

The manager of factory team continued: “Valentino is shrewd, he has often done things that others did not have in mind … He’s a champion of wits and this an example of his cunning, straightening the bike as soon as he saw Marc get close…”

After the race there were no major incidents between the two pilots and Race Direction finally decided that it was a racing incident with the nine-time World Champion being touched by the young Spanish talent.

Livio Suppo again gave his version to Motosprint: “There was not a real blow, just a slight contact; Valentino has not taken a shot that causes you to jump off the track. There he went, off the track. I believe that Rossi had thought about this before, he knew of the possibility. Moreover, Valentino has always been good at pulling the rabbit out of the hat.”