Spielberg (Austria) (AFP)

The Austrian Motorcycle Grand Prix was marked on Sunday by two very violent accidents involving several riders, but which miraculously did not cause serious injuries, which did not prevent some from criticizing their rivals for taking risks. inconsiderate.

First in the Moto2 category then in MotoGP, the supreme discipline, disintegrated motorcycles and riders stunned but unharmed have punctuated the races, raced behind closed doors but broadcast throughout the world.

Italian legend Valentino Rossi, seven-time world champion in the premier class and still racing at 41, did not mince words after being unwillingly involved in the MotoGP accident.

“I almost was almost killed,” he exclaimed after the race. Although he was not directly involved in the MotoGP accident between Frenchman Johann Zarco and Italian Franco Morbidelli, he was almost hit by their machines, which bounced off the track at full speed just in front of him.

"Morbidelli's bike almost killed me and Zarco's bike passed me a few yards from my head," he added.

Returning to the pits because the race had been stopped by a red flag, he got off his motorbike holding the helmet on and, when it was removed, showed a rotten face.

"I was so scared, I'm shaken, getting the second start back was difficult. I took the biggest risk of my career," he told Sky Italia television.

"The Saint of the bikers did a good job again today, it was very dangerous," said the Italian champion, who says he wants to race for several more years and finished 5th in the race on Sunday.

- "Respect your opponents" -

Morbidelli miraculously didn't suffer from any fractures and Zarco only had burns from his long slide down the track.

In Moto2, the Italian Enea Bastianini lost control of his bike at the exit of a turn, and his machine was hit head-on by the Malaysian Hafizh Syahrin who performed a spectacular glide before staying a long time lying on the track.

Again, Syahrin was not seriously injured, only suffering from a pelvic contusion.

Rossi then did not hesitate to accuse Zarco of responsibility for the accident.

"We play a very dangerous sport, you have to respect your opponents on the track," he said. "It's not the first time Zarco has done this kind of thing and what happened is very clear: Zarco passed Morbidelli in the straight line and then he didn't want to be passed again so he braked in front of him."

Morbidelli was even more blunt, not hesitating to call the French driver a "murderer" in statements to the Italian media.

- "Scary" -

The latter defended himself: "I don't know what happened. I have the impression that Morbidelli's bike pushed me. I was able to pass him in the straight line, I was already well ahead and, when braking, I shifted to the right and that's where we collided. It was not a maneuver made on purpose, "he said during a point hurry.

"I explained it to Franco and Vale (the nickname of Valentino Rossi). But seeing the two motorcycles completely destroyed, it was scary. We must have been at 270 km / h at the time of the accident", a- he estimated.

He himself had been the victim of a similar accident during the 2018 Australian Grand Prix when he hit the rear of the motorcycle of the Spaniard Marc Marquez who was changing course in front of him.

The winner of the day, the Italian Andrea Dovizioso, remained cautious about the causes of the collision: "something strange happened and we must analyze what happened", he said. underlined in press conference.

Asked what prompted motorcycle riders to get back on their overpowered machines after having witnessed, or having been themselves victims, such accidents, he replied: "We are human beings but in this kind of situation, we must not. not be too human. If you are rational, you cannot push your body to the limit. In this situation, you have to continue because otherwise you cannot be a pilot. It is part of our sport ".

© 2020 AFP