Marco Bezzecchi
Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP career stands as one of the greatest in motorsport history, and he had plenty of rivals who pushed him to even greater heights.
Across 432 starts, Valentino Rossi claimed seven premier class world titles and 89 victories on his way to becoming the sport’s most recognisable global superstar.
However, the Italian’s career was not defined by just his wins, but by the rivals who pushed him into uncomfortable waters.
From fierce battles on a personal level to respectful on-track duels, each era of his career featured a challenger who wanted to take the crown off his head and onto their own.
Whether it was pre-podium scuffles with Max Biaggi, battling Jorge Lorenzo within the Yamaha ranks, or clashing dramatically with Marc Marquez, Rossi’s rivalries are a big part of the Italian’s MotoGP legacy.
Aside from Marc Marquez, who is Valentino Rossi’s greatest MotoGP rival?
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5. Dani Pedrosa
Whilst Rossi’s rivalry with Dani Pedrosa was a lot tamer than the other opponents he butted heads with, the two premier class legends regularly battled for the top step of the MotoGP podium.
Rossi’s charisma and aggressive racecraft met their counterpart through Pedrosa’s precision and technical mastery. Not even an inch was given when they came within range of each other on the race track.
The mutual respect that the now-Hall of Famers showed each other during their professional racing career was great for the growth of the sport during the iconic Italian’s illustrious career.
Unfortunately for Pedrosa, Rossi would often get the better of the Honda rider over the course of the season, with The Doctor claiming two of his seven MotoGP world titles following the Spaniard’s introduction to the sport in 2006.
4. Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner didn’t have the longest career when compared to other MotoGP world champions, but he managed to make a mark on the sport that will be remembered forever.
The Australian managed to do what Pedrosa couldn’t: take the fight to Rossi, and beat him at his own game.
Bearing completely opposite on-track personalities, the conflict quickly got underway during Stoner’s title feat with Ducati in 2007.
The tension would be present throughout the entirety of Stoner’s stint in the premier class, and one moment during his 2011 title challenge produced one of the greatest one-liners in MotoGP history.
After Rossi seemingly took Stoner out of contention at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix, the usually stoic Australian stormed into the Ducati garages and squared off with the Italian, telling him, “Your ambition outweighs your talent.”
3. Jorge Lorenzo
The nine-time Grand Prix world champion’s rivalry with Jorge Lorenzo started from the Spaniard’s very first day at Yamaha.
Rossi was furious with Yamaha for signing a pacy rookie, and his concerns proved to be validated early on in their tenure as teammates.
The teammate dynamic within the Yamaha garage was filled with ‘total tension’, according to Lorenzo, and it got to a point where a divider was erected in order to separate one another’s data from getting into their hands.
Lorenzo proved to be one of the biggest thorns in Rossi’s side during his quest to win an eighth MotoGP title, which didn’t end up coming to fruition.
After their relationship grew more civil as the years went on, tensions were reignited during the 2015 title fight, in which Lorenzo reigned victorious.
Which battle between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo was your favourite?
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2. Max Biaggi
One of Rossi’s biggest rivals also happened to be one of the first that he had encountered during his Grand Prix motorcycle racing career.
Max Biaggi was an explosive world champion who had the whole of Italy on his side, until Rossi made his mark on the sport.
Their contrasting personalities meant that relations between the two stars quickly turned sour. Biaggi was proud and intense, whereas Rossi put on a more playful and provocative demeanour.
Tensions reached a boiling point at the 2001 Catalan Grand Prix after Rossi had rubbed his compatriot the wrong way one too many times.
They were involved in a brawl before the podium ceremony in Barcelona, which resulted in Rossi having to be pulled away from the then-Yamaha rider.
Akin to Pedrosa, Biaggi never quite claimed a premier class crown for himself, but he will go down in MotoGP history for being one of the catalysts to Rossi’s competitive streak with rivals.
1. Marc Marquez
Of course, the Ant of Cervera had to be number one on the list of Rossi’s greatest rivals.
What started with the admiration of Marc Marquez racing against the same man whose posters he had on his bedroom wall quickly turned toxic following the events of the 2015 MotoGP season.
Rossi felt like Marquez was aiding Lorenzo’s title charge, culminating in a coming together at the penultimate round of the season in Malaysia.
The two have rarely uttered a word to each other since, with the fallout between two of the greatest MotoGP riders ever creating a lasting rift that is still full of tension and without a resolution to this day.
Despite the coldness, both riders have massive amounts of respect for each other’s achievements in their beloved sport.
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