Rossi and Marquez went head-to-head in a confrontation that was both spectacular and controversial.

It all came down to a chicane showdown, when Marquez’s Honda and Rossi’s Yamaha made contact as each hunted for the finish line.

Rossi had been mainly leading, when the battle was fuelled mid-race as Marquez overtook Rossi for the first time.

With three laps remaining, Rossi nabbed first place back and the Spaniard chased close behind.

Marquez’s next attack came at the last chicane on the final lap, when he lunged up the inside of Rossi.

The manoeuvre by Marquez hit the side of Rossi’s bike causing Rossi to ride straight through the gravel on the inside of the final corner.

Rossi was fortunate to keep the bike from crashing and said at the time: “We touched, so I had to cut the corner and I was lucky to control the bike on the gravel.”

The dramatic ending saw Rossi rejoin the track to finish 1.2 seconds in front of Marquez in what would become one of the fiercest battle endings ever seen between Rossi and Marquez.

Tension between the two did not stop at the finish line, with Marquez refusing to acknowledge his move as incorrect or controversial.

“What I know is that I did the correct [thing] because I didn’t go outside the track,” Marquez told media in the post-race press conference.

“What I already say, I think I did the perfect last lap, perfect last corner…”

Rossi suggested that the footage be re-watched, which was conducted in Race Control with officials.

When media later asked Marquez if he had learnt anything from Rossi at Assen, the youngster replied: “Some motocross, nothing more.”

The small dig was a reference to dirt bike racing, where contact between racers is common.

Rivalry between Marquez and Rossi has more recently been diffused.

However, at the time, these were the initial signs of a bitter rivalry that had begun to balloon.

Not one to shy away from a fight for first place, Rossi later said: “I think it was a great battle, as the last time we fought, he won.”

Catch Round 8 of the MotoGP this Sunday, June 30, at 10:00 pm AEST for the Assen GP.