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Rossi - Espargaro spat could lead to behaviour fines in MotoGP

The International Road Racing Teams Association has warned MotoGP's teams and riders of potential sanctions for disrespectful behaviour towards rival competitors.

Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing

Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing

Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Second place Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Second place Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory Racing
Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP
Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP

In an email sent to all the participating teams two weeks ago, the IRTA has stressed the importance of maintaining an image of respect in MotoGP, saying that obscene and uncivil gestures and actions will not be allowed.

The IRTA cautioned that future displays of poor manners could lead to possible monetary sanctions.

IRTA's message is believed to have been brought on by Valentino Rossi's on-track run-in with Aleix Espargaro in FP2 at Misano.

Rossi believed then that he was unduly held up by Espargaro and, after a heated exchange, showed the Spaniard the middle finger.

Asked at Aragon about the IRTA communication being a result of the Espargaro spat, Rossi said: "I think that in Misano, Espargaro did a big mistake, he stayed in the line - and when I was arguing with him, he told me 'f**k you'.

"For me, my mistake was that I [gestured]. Apart from that, I was 100 percent in the right. When I did [a gesture], maybe I exaggerated a little bit, so it's right that you can't do that.

"But from the other side, one rider when he's on the track, you have to pay attention to the other one, it's not fair and it's a lot worse than [a gesture]."

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