Marco Bezzecchi
It has now been five years since Valentino Rossi officially retired from MotoGP, leaving a big hole in the competition.
His superstar nature was irreplaceable, and his loyal fans continue to support him as he races on four wheels to this day.
After 2009, Rossi failed to win another MotoGP title for a variety of reasons. One of them was Honda’s Marc Marquez.
2015 went down as one of the most infamous seasons of all time, and to this day, it is frequently raised in discussions.
True or False? Valentino Rossi was a better MotoGP rider than Marc Marquez.
Do you agree? Comment below!
Marquez could become the most successful rider ever in 2026, beating multiple Rossi records along the way.
Rossi knew his fans wouldn’t ‘forget’ 2015, and he is proven right by that more and more every day. That’s until the premier class gets another instalment of drama on a similar level.
READ MORE: Francesco Bagnaia ‘underestimated’ Marc Marquez after listening to Valentino Rossi’s circle
Valentino Rossi switched his Marc Marquez stance when he started battling him in MotoGP
Marquez won’t be satisfied with beating Rossi’s records, according to ex-rival Pol Espargaro, who knows him very well.
His fellow countryman recounted in Mat Oxley’s Marc The Magnificent book how Rossi’s attitude towards his riding changed the moment he started fighting him in MotoGP back in 2013.
“It was funny, because when Marc was fighting against me in Moto2, he was doing these things to many riders, that aggresivity, that taking guys out,” he said. “I remember, Casey [Stoner], Valentino [Rossi], [Jorge] Lorenzo and other MotoGP guys.
“Whenever they were asked [about Marquez], they didn’t complain about it [his riding]. They all said, ‘This is racing!’ Then, when Marc jumped up to MotoGP, he started doing the same things because he had been told by the top guys that what he was doing [in Moto 2] was not so bad, it was OK.
“Then, when he started fighting with the top guys, they started to complain, but it was too late! In the end, we accepted that this is the way he was riding, and if you wanted to fight with him, you had to do the same.”
Rossi’s ‘favourite’ to battle was Jorge Lorenzo, and although they put on a show for fans, it isn’t exactly what is always remembered.
READ MORE: Valentino Rossi pinpoints the biggest change he’s seen in MotoGP since he started his career
What did Marc Marquez do that frustrated his MotoGP rivals so much?
With age, Marquez appears to have calmed down a little. He’s not as aggressive as he once was on track, but is still capable of having the same levels of success.
When he was younger, getting injured was an afterthought. Now that he has been through so much, it’s normal for that to play on his mind.
The daring moves that once ticked his rivals off aren’t made anywhere near as frequently nowadays, and shows how far his riding style has developed.
During those glory years against Rossi, perhaps he did cross the line a few times, but it was a sign of the direction that modern MotoGP was heading in. It changed forever, and everyone had to accept it.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
