Marc Marquez makes a ‘promise’ about Valentino Rossi after awkward MotoGP pit lane moment

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Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi appeared to ignore one another when they crossed paths in the MotoGP pit lane in Austria. It was a clip that went viral on social media.

It was all a sideshow from the racing, of course, as Marquez made it 12 victories in a row across Sprint and Grand Prix. But the lasting animosity between the two legends continues to compel MotoGP fans.

Indeed, the clip has been viewed over 700,000 times on the sport’s official account at the time of writing. 10 years after their rivalry exploded, they still aren’t on speaking terms.

In a recent interview, Marquez said he hadn’t had any contact with Rossi since the latter retired from MotoGP at the end of 2021. The Italian, who owns VR46, only attends occasional races due to his commitments in the World Endurance Championship.

Marc Marquez says he didn’t see Valentino Rossi in MotoGP pit lane

Speaking to outlets including AS ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Marquez addressed the apparent Rossi snub. He ‘promised’ that he didn’t see his long-time nemesis.

Marquez was starting on the second row after a crash at the end of qualifying. He says he was ‘looking at the ground’ as he focused on how to fight back.

Given his singular frame of mind before a race, he’s unlikely to stop and chat with anyone who ‘crosses his path’. But he also hinted that he doesn’t feel any regret.

Asked whether he’d greet Rossi if given the chance again, he replied: “I’m at a point in my life where I just try to be surrounded by people who lift me up.

“I didn’t see him,” he added when a reporter called it a ‘missed opportunity’. “I promise you, because things went badly for me in Hungary. I was looking at the ground. I can promise you that because that’s how it is.

• READ MORE: MotoGP fans salute Dorna for ‘clip of the year’ as Marc Marquez encounters Valentino Rossi at Austrian Grand Prix

“I didn’t see him. I’m looking at the ground, like the horses on the grid, and I don’t care if Valentino or Brad Pitt crosses my path, because I’m not going to see them. I’m going to look at the ground, because I’m focused on my race.”

Is Marc Marquez struggling to fill seats without Valentino Rossi?

It’s telling that there’s still so much interest in this rivalry even though one of the riders involved is no longer racing. Some believe that there’s no rider on Marquez’s level after ‘aliens’ like Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo retired.

The 2025 season has been extremely one-sided, and those with a commercial stake in the sport will be praying that a consistent challenger to Marquez emerges soon. The same can be said for any fans outside the MM93 camp.

The managing director of the Austrian GP says Marquez needs a ‘charismatic opponent’ like Rossi. He attributed the rise in unsold tickets to The Doctor’s absence.

Marquez is a superstar in his own right, but he’s the last one remaining on the grid. Perhaps Pedro Acosta will become the next to ascend to that level of fame.