Rossi, Pedrosa debate Moto2 'aggression'

Valentino Rossi stopped short of categorising aggressive riding styles in MotoGP as a by-product of the Moto2 class following a run-in with Johann Zarco in Texas.

Rossi received a penalty of 0.3 seconds after he gained time after being forced off track, when rookie Zarco attempted an overtake on his inside.

The nine-time world champion said back-to-back Moto2 champion Zarco needed to be 'more quiet' and criticised his riding style, but Rossi feels it is difficult to understand if Moto2 machines are cultivating more aggressive riders compared to the older 250cc two-stroke class.

"It's difficult to say, I don't know. For sure the Moto2 is different than 250 because more or less everybody has the same engine, the same tyres, same brakes - so to make an overtake is more difficult," Rossi said.

"Always the races are very tight and it's difficult to make the difference: maybe it's that, but I don't know if it's the case in this case."

Dani Pedrosa, like Rossi a former 250cc world champion, said riders making the step up to MotoGP have a lot of changes to contend with.

"I don't know if it's related to the class or not, but for sure from my experience, at the time when I changed to MotoGP, when you adapt to the weight and when you arrive to the speed, everything happens in different timing: the chicanes, braking.

"You arrive much faster and the weight is much more, the space is much less, and the riders are much better, so you need to figure out all these timings.

"Of course at the beginning you have a different approach to these moments and maybe it is a little bit that."