Valentino Rossi maintains Sepang MotoGP kick “never existed” in new autobiography

Valentino Rossi's autobiography is expected to offer a new take on many of MotoGP's most memorable moments.

However, reported extracts from 'La Mia Storia' suggest he hasn't changed his stance on allegations that he kicked Marc Marquez during their controversial showdown at Sepang in 2015.

After accusing Marquez of trying to help Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo win the title on the eve of the event, Rossi became locked in an intense early-race duel with the Honda rider.

It ended when Rossi deliberately ran Marquez wide out of frustration. The pair then tangled, with Marquez falling as Rossi's foot appeared to twitch.

Marquez accused Rossi of kicking him, which the Italian has always denied. 

With no conclusive evidence, the alleged kick did not form part of the penalty that resulted in Rossi starting from the back of the grid at the Valencia finale.

According to Marca, Rossi writes in his book: "Marquez accelerated to try and overtake me, his brake lever caught my leg under my leathers at knee height.

“At that moment, my left leg slid down.”

"It really looks like a kick caused the crash," Rossi admits. "I think so too, seeing the footage."

But he insists: "The kick never existed”.

Honda planned to release data showing there was a sudden increase in pressure from Marquez's front brake lever just before he fell.

However, that would not prove a deliberate kick was the cause and, with MotoGP trying to calm the situation, the data was never released.

Rossi lost the title at Valencia, where he again accused Marquez of assisting Lorenzo.