They are teammates but there is little love lost between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, with increasing tensions ahead of Sunday's Valencia Grand Prix.
Lorenzo was furious after qualifying and claimed that Rossi's pole lap was because he got a slipstream tow from the Spaniard.
Rossi jumped from a struggling seventh in free practice to secure his "surprise" 50th career MotoGP pole while Lorenzo qualified fourth to head the second row of the grid.
Rossi admitted getting the benefit of a Lorenzo tow on his final fast lap but was joyously unapologetic when told of Lorenzo's criticism.
"I was lucky to be in the right place and I am happy if Jorge is a little bit nervous for this but it happens and it has happened a minimum of 100 times to me in my career," Rossi said. "I slowed and went again to warm up the tire and it worked perfectly, eliminating a lot of wheelspin. Jorge came passed and was about one second ahead and this was a small help to me."
Rossi's satisfaction in destabilizing Lorenzo on the eve of their crucial fight for runner-up spot to Honda's Marc Marquez in the championship is clearly part of the mind games.
Lorenzo appears to have a slight edge in race pace but trails Rossi by 12 points going into the final race. Lorenzo's post-qualifying displeasure points to a tense contest between the Yamaha pair.
"I was pushing hard and Valentino followed me and took time. If I had closed the throttle he might not have had pole. I don't usually do this," Lorenzo said.
Rossi and Lorenzo have been intense rivals since Lorenzo broke Rossi's grip on Yamaha by winning the 2010 World Championship. Rossi insisted that he would only renew his Yamaha contract if they sacked Lorenzo for 2011.
Yamaha wisely refused and Rossi departed, making the totally misguided to decision to spend a nightmare two seasons with Ducati in 2011 and'12.
Now back at Yamaha Rossi is revitalised by his love affair with the sweet handling M1.
What it is now at stake for Rossi and Lorenzo is not being second in the MotoGP championship, but the status of being the top Yamaha rider for the 2014 season.
