Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi contested arguably MotoGP’s fiercest rivalry in the 2010s. During their Honda and Yamaha days, the pair clashed numerous times while fighting for the title.
The latter was already a seven-time champion when the former made his debut in 2013. After finishing just three tenths ahead of the Spanaird in second at the Qatar Grand Prix, Rossi was worried about Marquez as he felt he would not catch him when he started to feel comfortable.
His concerns would be justified as Marquez went on one of the most dominant runs in MotoGP history. Winning the championship in his rookie season, the Spaniard went on to win five more titles in the next six years.
Rossi finished runner-up to Marquez in 2014 and 2016 as the pair developed a bitter rivalry. It continued until the Italian retired from motorcycle racing in 2021.
Rossi’s MotoGP career ended on a whimper as Yamaha began to regress in performance. Honda suffered the same fate, but Marquez also struggled constantly with injury after breaking his arm at Jerez in 2020.
The Spaniard is now back on his feet at Ducati as he searches for his seventh title. Rossi remains involved in MotoGP with his VR46 team but spends his time on the track in endurance racing.
Marc Marquez doesn’t want to race cars like Valentino Rossi after retiring from MotoGP
Rossi has been racing with BMW’s Team WRT since 2022 in sportscars. He has been part of their World Endurance Championship line-up since 2024.
While Rossi has dabbled in racing cars, Marquez is not looking to follow that path. Speaking via Tank Slappers, the Spanaird says he does not want to race on four wheels after calling quits on his MotoGP career.
“I buy two cars in my life,” he said. “One Porsche Turbo S, but that one was like a bet. I said when I come back after the injury in 2021, I bet with the team, if I win a race.
“Because they were joking always to me when I was in Honda: ‘You never spend money with the cars. Come on, if you win a race this year after the injury, you will buy which car?’ and I said Porsche Turbo S.
“But I had [it] for one year, one year and a half and then I sell [it] and I bought an Audi RS6. I don’t like to have supercars at the moment.”
Asked whether he would race cars after MotoGP, Marquez had a straightforward answer: “No. No.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Ducati from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy
Marc Marquez’s rivalry with Valentino Rossi is still felt today
While Rossi retired from motorcycle racing four years ago, his rivalry with Marquez is still present in the MotoGP paddock today, The Spaniard can equal the Italian’s seven titles in 2025 with Ducati.
The 32-year-old is in a prime position to do just that. Marquez won the first five races of the season, suffering his first retirement at the Grand Prix of the Americas.
He sits one point behind his brother Alex Marquez heading into the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend. Rossi’s entourage are worried about Marquez’s form and he is set to equal his career feat,
Marquez could also become MotoGP’s oldest champion in 2025, breaking another Rossi record. While the Italian focuses on his WEC programme with BMW, he will certainly keep an eye on what his arch rival is doing with Ducati.
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