Marco Bezzecchi
Santi Hernandez thinks the main “similarity” and “difference” between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi are clear, after working under the seven-time MotoGP champions.
Hernandez is one of the very few people to have worked as an engineer with both Rossi and Marquez in their careers. The two MotoGP legends often built their teams on loyalty, having largely strived to keep their closest allies near after building close bonds amid their success.
Rossi famously took the bulk of his engineering team with him when the Italian moved from Honda to Yamaha for the 2004 MotoGP season. Similarly, Marquez even moved to keep part of his Moto2 engineering team (including Hernandez) when he debuted in MotoGP in 2013.
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Santi Hernandez thinks Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi share the same ‘role model’ traits
Marquez kept Hernandez and Carlos Linan at his side when he joined Honda’s MotoGP team in 2013, before the rest of his crew followed in 2014. Contractual obligations ultimately saw Hernandez stay at Honda when Marquez left in 2024, as only Javi Ortiz joined him at Gresini.
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Having worked for both, Hernandez believes the clear similarity between Marquez and Rossi is that the Spaniard and Italian are champions who act as “role models” who each helped to shape MotoGP. But it is also clear that they have their own “character” that sets them apart.
Hernandez told Moto.it: “Similar? They’re champions. They’re two riders who have made the history of the world championship and are a role model for many young riders. That’s the similarity.
“Difference? Each has their own character. I can make this comparison with Marc because I worked with him longer, and when I was with Valentino, my role was different – I took care of the suspension, so I had less information.
“But I tell you, I can’t say anything bad about anyone. Valentino treated me very well during the time I worked with him. With Marc, it’s different because our relationship is one of friendship. It’s different.”
Hernandez has worked for Honda since the 2000 500cc season, when he formally joined the team as a suspension engineer after helping Alex Criville win the 1999 title as part of Showa.
His time with the Tokyo crew saw Hernandez work with Rossi when he joined Honda’s works team in 2002 after two years with Nastro Azzurro Honda, before the Italian joined Yamaha in 2004. Hernandez remained with Honda as a suspension engineer through the 2005 season.
Marquez first started working with Hernandez in 2011, when Honda and the Marquez camp made him the Spaniard’s crew chief while building a team specifically for the Cervera native in Moto2. With Hernandez’s support, Marquez won six of his seven MotoGP titles, with the Spaniard taking his first championship without his close ally when he joined Ducati in 2025.
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