Marquez clips 'slow mode' team-mate Lorenzo

Repsol Honda team-mates Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo came close to disaster at the end of Free Practice 2 for the Australian MotoGP.

Newly crowned eight-time champion Marquez caught a slow-moving Lorenzo at the apex of turn 11, while down in eighth place on his final lap (top picture).

With FP2 expected to be the only dry free practice session of the weekend, the pressure was on Marquez to confirm a top-ten position for direct access into Qualifying 2.

But as Marquez tried to sweep around the outside of Lorenzo, while losing the least possible time, the pair made contact - Marquez sending one of Lorenzo's wings into the air with his shoulder (below).

Marquez still went on to claim sixth place, but made his anger clear on the slow down lap, including a 'you were asleep' gesture to Lorenzo in the practice start area.

"Of course, in the first moment I was upset because now we cannot forget that free practice means qualifying practice, I mean you need to go directly into Qualifying 2 and the forecast for tomorrow looks like rain 100%," Marquez explained.

"So it was my last chance, I was on a very fast lap and I tried to overtake him in the best way for me to not lose time. But in the end we need to pay attention, because we cannot ride in a 'slow mode' in the middle of the line.

"Of course, he will say there was no space. But you need to check behind, you need to understand and be out of the racing line. Apart from that, I was angry at first, but then I was in his office and we speak together. No problem."

Lorenzo, who was 16th fastest, said: "Unfortunately, right at the end I didn’t look back to see I had three or four riders behind me, I tried to be as far on the inside as possible but Marc and I were a little too close.

"I’m sure he had no plans to touch me as he passed, but he judged the distance [between us] badly and we touched. It could have been avoided if I had looked back. But, even making that mistake, it could have been avoided if he left 20 centimetres of margin..."