Rossi says Marquez/Lorenzo clash at Jerez a racing incident

The seven-time world champion famously clashed with Sete Gibernau in a similar last-corner move at the Spanish track in 2005.

Rossi, on the inside, touched Gibernau and sent the Spaniard into the gravel. Rossi celebrated victory across the line, the first of 11 he claimed that season en route to a fifth championship crown.

Debate has raged about the legitimacy of Marquez's move on Lorenzo, which also earned the 20-year-old the championship lead at Lorenzo's expense.

How Marquez rattled the MotoGP field

Marquez has been no stranger to controversy during his rise through the lower grand prix formulae, perhaps most notably running Thomas Luthi off track in the 2012 Moto2 opener at Qatar in a cynical last-lap move.

Rossi, however, feels his dive on Lorenzo did not transgress acceptable limits.

"It's a hard attack, and a hard overtake from Marc," Rossi said of the Marquez-Lorenzo incident.

"He touched Jorge, but it's the last lap, the last corner, and sure the guy behind tries something.

"Jorge kept the door open and Marc went inside, so I think it's something that can happen in racing."

Other riders backed that stance, among them Andrea Dovizioso, who said he viewed the move as being "quite aggressive, but I don't think over the limit."

Race winner Dani Pedrosa felt Marquez was a little too late, but didn't censure his works team-mate.

"It's the final lap, it's an aggressive move obviously," Pedrosa said.

"I guess if they hadn't touched Marc would run out of track, so it means he was a little too late on the brakes.

"But you know - they touched in this certain point of the corner. It was kind of similar to turn one at the start in Austin, but I had time to see him coming.

"I just hope it doesn't come again in the next ones."