SPIELBERG (Austria) • World motorcycling star Valentino Rossi has said a rival's stray bike, travelling at around 300kmh, almost "killed me" in a horrifying near-miss at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The nine-time world champion was left badly shaken after Franco Morbidelli's Yamaha flew across the track just centimetres in front of him.

His fellow Italian and the Ducati of Johann Zarco had collided just seconds before the riders slipped through an early turn on Lap 8.

Both men were unseated and the free-wheeling Ducati came desperately close to hitting Rossi as well as his Yamaha teammate Maverick Vinales, who was just ahead of him.

"Morbidelli's bike nearly killed me," fumed Rossi, 41. "Even Zarco's Ducati passed a few metres over me, it was a very dangerous moment."

He managed to compose himself and after the race was restarted, he came home in fifth place.

"I was so scared. I am shaken, resuming the race was tough. I took the biggest risk of my career," he told Sky Italia. "I saw a shadow, I thought it was the helicopter from above...

"Instead, two 'bullets' arrived. The saint of motorcyclists today did a really great job, it was a very dangerous thing."

Morbidelli and Zarco were both declared fit after visiting the circuit medical centre but the former did not mince his words, telling Sky the French rider was "almost a murderer".

"Braking like this at 300kmh means having little love for yourself or for those you are racing against," he said. "I hope this major incident makes Zarco think."

Rossi agreed, claiming too many of his fellow MotoGP riders were risk-takers without understanding "our bikes, at these speeds, are bullets". "We're competing in a very dangerous sport, you have to have respect for those who run on the track with you," he added.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE