Why MotoGP engineers thought it was ‘inevitable’ that Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi would become enemies

Add as preferred source on Google

Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi played out what is widely considered the greatest rivalry in MotoGP history in the 2010s.

Rossi was already a seven-time MotoGP champion by the time Marquez made his debut in the premier class with Honda in 2013. Initially, the pair got on well as friends, but that quickly changed once the Spaniard established himself as a serious threat.

Rossi was worried by Marquez on his debut in Qatar and how close he was to teammate Dani Pedrosa. He became the youngest champion in MotoGP history that year, before winning another five titles with Honda.

Settling as the runner-up in 2014, 2015 and 2016, Rossi’s relationship with Marquez began to deteriorate on and off the track. His infamous kick on the Spaniard at Sepang in 2015 sparked the intense rivalry that is still felt today, with Rossi’s reputation changing forever after the incident.

Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi’s desire to fight made it ‘inevitable’ that they would become enemies

Marquez and Rossi have the same ‘incredibly important’ intellect that no other rider possesses. They also had a willingness to fight on track, which Mat Oxley says made engineers realise that they would inevitably clash.

“I’ve always liked what I would call ‘warrior riders’, right? I like riders that like to fight, and Valentino loved to fight and Marc loves to fight,” he said via the BOBB TV – PADDOCK TV YouTube channel.

“And many people that I’ve spoken to, other riders, engineers, they all say that it was inevitable that Rossi and Marquez were going to collide head-on, absolutely head-on collision.

“Because they are identical. When I interview them, they’re the best people I’ve ever interviewed. Even though they’re talking in a second language, they just answer every question precisely.

“They almost have the answer to your question before you’ve asked the question. It’s like they’ve got a seventh gear in their brain. Everybody else has got six gears, and they’ve got a seventh gear, so they can go a bit further.

“So they’re very similar to interview, they’re very engaged. Some riders when you interview them, they’d rather be somewhere else, they’re playing with their mobile phone.

“Valentino and Marc, fully engaged, looking you in the eye and every answer is perfect.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend

Will Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi’s feud ever be resolved?

The rivalry between the two riders is still ingrained in the minds of everyone. MotoGP have been asking riders about making a documentary on the 2015 season, detailing where Marquez and Rossi’s feud really intensified.

Many have wondered whether the drama could be resolved between the two. Davide Tardozzi says Marquez is ‘ready to make peace’ with Rossi, with the Ducati chief hoping that a solution can be found.

Marquez says resolving things with Rossi doesn’t just depend on him, but the Italian as well. The pair have had little to no contact since the latter retired from MotoGP in 2022.

Marquez is on course to break Rossi’s records in 2025 as he leads the championship by 120 points with 10 races remaining. The Spaniard insists that he is not focused on beating his rival’s achievements, but rather his comeback from injury.