The ‘desperate’ tactic Valentino Rossi once used against Marc Marquez during intense MotoGP title fight

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Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez are renowned for having one of the most intense MotoGP rivalries of all time.

Back in 2015, with a title on the line, the two were engaged in multiple intense battles, despite Marquez not being in with a chance of a third consecutive crown.

Tasked with beating teammate Jorge Lorenzo to the crown, Rossi knew that he might be waving goodbye to his last chance to secure a record eighth triumph.

It was prime MotoGP, and fans still talk about the races to this day. They’re etched in history, and the two haven’t been friends since.

Rossi was right about the ‘unbelievable’ Marquez, according to Neil Hodgson, who was in disbelief at his actions at the season finale.

Just a handful of races prior at Philip Island, Rossi fumed at Marquez’s ‘absurd’ tactics and felt as if the Spaniard saw him as a target.

READ MORE: The overtake Valentino Rossi made at 37 years old that showed he was still a ‘demon’ with Yamaha in MotoGP

Valentino Rossi tried a ‘desperate’ tactic on Marc Marquez during intense MotoGP title fight

Rossi launched an infamous Marquez tirade at the following race in Malaysia, believing that he was going out of his way to make his life difficult.

Casey Stoner always felt Rossi had the media ‘wrapped around his finger’ and he was once again enlisting their help to draw criticism on his rival.

Mat Oxley believes that it was a ‘desperate’ move by the Italian, and one that was never going to work on a rider of Marquez’s calibre.

“It doesn’t make sense for me. I think he just thought, ‘I’ll throw a grenade in here, see if I can screw up Marc Marquez a bit.’ by accusing him of this, that and the other, and not being his fan and helping Jorge Lorenzo when he did that at Sepang,” he said.

“I think that was his way, it was a bit of a desperate ploy. Anything has got to be worth a chance, let’s give this a go, it might work.

“The trouble is that Valentino was very successful in playing mind games with people like Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau, but Marc Marquez is not Max Biaggi or Sete Gibernau. If you screw with him, he’s going to come back at you.”

READ MORE: Valentino Rossi once revealed his immediate two-word reaction when Yamaha signed Jorge Lorenzo in 2008

How Marc Marquez ‘completely’ overshadowed Valentino Rossi’s retirement from MotoGP

Marquez’s story of redemption is a remarkable tale in its own right. By many counts, he should have been forced into retirement after his horrific injury in 2020.

However, he fought back and refused to give up on his dreams of returning to the top. Now, he’s reaping the rewards of his hard work with Ducati.

Marquez ‘completely overshadowed’ Rossi’s retirement by dominating so much in his later days with Honda. 2019 in particular was an incredible season.

As his rival’s results dipped away and his career came to a disappointing end, all eyes were on him as he continued his relentless pursuit of victory. It’s one of the deadliest traits a world champion can have.