Morbidelli and the Ducati of Johann Zarco had collided just seconds before the riders slipped through turn four at Spielberg on lap eight of the race. Both men were unseated.
Zarco’s free-wheeling Ducati also came desperately close to hitting Rossi as well as his Yamaha factory teammate Maverick Vinales who was just ahead of him.
“Morbidelli’s bike nearly killed me,” fumed Rossi.
“Even Zarco’s Ducati passed a few metres over me, it was a very dangerous moment.”
Incredibly, Rossi managed to compose himself and after the race was restarted came home in fifth place.
“I was so scared. I am shaken, resuming the race was tough. I took the biggest risk of my career,” Rossi told Sky Italia.
“I saw a shadow, I thought it was the helicopter from above, sometimes it happens during the race that the helicopter passes over and casts a shadow. Instead, two ‘bullets’ arrived.
“The saint of motorcyclists today did a really great job, it was a very dangerous thing.”
