Marco Bezzecchi
Fans are quite divided when it comes to deciding who the greatest MotoGP rider of all time is between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi.
The latter has a slightly more devoted fanbase, even in his years after retirement, and his ex-rival has copped some abuse from them in 2025. Marquez expected it, though.
Nearly 10 years on from their infamous incident at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix, and the two still don’t have a great relationship. Rossi won’t forget the matter.
Their other big competitor during the 2010s was Jorge Lorenzo, but they didn’t ever wind up crashing into him in quite so spectacular fashion.
Rossi won’t ‘forgive’ Marquez as he was denied a shot at an incredible eighth world title in 2015. It was the last real chance he ever had.
The same goes the other way, though, and Marquez has no desire to quash his Rossi feud. It’s a shame that two of the greatest riders of all time cannot get on.
Jorge Lorenzo picked Marc Marquez as his goat over Valentino Rossi
Rossi showed respect to Marquez in 2020 with comments suggesting that he would come back from a horrific injury and continue to be a threat to his rivals.
It took a bit longer than he would have liked, but he did end up doing so. In 2025, he put together one of the most impressive campaigns in history.
MotoGP has changed since Marquez fought Rossi. The Italian was the one to put the championship on the map and really generate a solid fanbase.
But Lorenzo already made his pick for the greatest rider of all time back in 2023. He was teammates with Rossi, but his choice may come as a surprise.
“We’re speaking about two unbelievable champions,” he said. “Two of the greatest champions in history. I would say Valentino Rossi in terms of charisma and intelligence, he’s the strongest one.
“But in terms of pure, pure talent, speed, and aggressiveness, Marquez is in another level. Of ambition, of never give up, so it’s difficult to choose, but I will choose Marc Marquez.”
READ MORE: Marc Marquez camp now much more concerned about injury after seeing what happened to Valentino Rossi
Why Marc Marquez has a great chance to become the clear MotoGP goat
While Rossi achieved a lot in his career, and it feels as though it has taken a while for Marquez to match his number of titles, he’s still only 32 years old.
He remains on a dominant Ducati bike and might still have at least five seasons of competitive racing ahead of him.
That’s not to say he’s in his prime right now, but his experience makes him a canny operator, and as he has shown recently, he hasn’t lost much, if any, speed.
Giacomo Agostini snubbed the ‘annoying’ Marquez on his dream grid, but that isn’t all too shocking, given where he hails from. Marquez will continue to rack up the records, and there’s little that can be done about it.
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