But the Repsol Honda rider ran wide on the exit, meaning his lap would be cancelled, while Rossi closed back in and launched a block-pass at the Turn 14 hairpin.

The move was visually similar to the infamous clash between the MotoGP superstars at Sepang 2015, which ended with Marquez on the ground.

This time both riders were forced to sit-up and run wide but remained on their machines, while in a further twist it later emerged that Rossi's lap was also cancelled for running wide at Turn 6.