Marquez on Rossi, Lorenzo, and Why Records No Longer Drive Him

• Marquez names Jorge Lorenzo as his toughest rival when he entered MotoGP, but in the overall balance he sees Valentino Rossi ahead.
• The 33-year-old stands at 73 MotoGP wins and 101 Grand Prix victories overall; Rossi holds the premier-class record with 76 wins, while Giacomo Agostini leads with 122 GP wins.
• Marquez names Pedro Acosta, Fermin Aldeguer, David Alonso and Maximo Quiles as the coming challengers.

Marc Marquez is already competing in his 14th season in the premier class and continues to fight for wins and titles. At the same time, the Ducati rider is looking ahead and speaking openly about who could one day succeed him. In an interview on the sidelines of the Dutch Grand Prix, the Spaniard took stock of his greatest rivals, the significance of records, and the approaching generational shift in the field.

Who Was Marc Marquez’s Toughest Rival?

For Marquez, there isn’t just one answer to this question. When he entered the world championship, Jorge Lorenzo was the strongest, because he was simply the best at the time. Looking at the bigger picture, however, he sees things differently.

Valentino Rossi was also a major presence on track back then. And measured by the numbers, Marquez says, the Italian was overall stronger than Lorenzo. So he draws a clean distinction between the moment of his rise and the long-term record: in his view, Lorenzo set the sporting benchmark when Marquez arrived in the class, but historically the numbers speak for Rossi.

How Close Is Marquez to Rossi’s and Agostini’s Records?

Marquez is only a few victories away from two of the sport’s greatest benchmarks. Valentino Rossi won nine world titles and 115 Grand Prix victories across all classes, and in the premier class he still holds the record with 76 wins.

Marquez himself now stands at 73 wins in MotoGP and 101 Grand Prix victories overall. That leaves him only a few wins short of catching Rossi. Giacomo Agostini’s record of 122 Grand Prix wins has also moved within reach.

Why Don’t the Big Records Drive Marquez Anymore?

Because his view of records has fundamentally changed after the difficult years between 2020 and 2023. Five years ago, he says, he would have answered the question about chasing records with a clear yes and done everything to catch up to the marks.

After the upper-arm injury in 2020, several surgeries, long rehabilitation phases and doubts about ever returning to the top, he now sees it as a gift simply to still be able to race at this level. It is an honor, he says, to see his name alongside Agostini and Rossi on the record lists. One title more or less, on the other hand, barely matters to him anymore. In his own words: “Avere un titolo in più o in meno non mi cambierà più la vita.” Translated: “Having one title more or less won’t change my life anymore.”

He sees the decisive turning point as last year in Motegi, where he secured his ninth title early and proved to himself that he could still win. His greatest wish, he says, was not to end his career under the shadow of his rushed comeback attempt after the 2020 Jerez crash. He has won again and has made peace with himself.

How Does Marquez View His Future Teammate Pedro Acosta?

Marquez appears relaxed about racing alongside Pedro Acosta for Ducati in the future. Acosta had said he wants to learn as much as possible from the Spaniard. Marquez, however, doesn’t expect to cut him any slack.

He even hopes the younger rider will push him, since that would be the most natural thing in the world. Should Acosta actually beat him, he says, it wouldn’t be an extraordinary event but simply the normal course of the sport. “Nessuno è invincibile,” he says — “Nobody is invincible.” At some point, he says, a younger rider comes along who does it better. As for the concrete setup within the team, he wants to talk about that only next winter.

Which Young Riders Does Marquez See as His Successors?

Marquez makes clear that the future of MotoGP doesn’t hinge on a single rider. Asked who could one day knock him off the throne, he names several riders at once: Pedro Acosta, Fermin Aldeguer, David Alonso and Maximo Quiles.

Aldeguer, he says, is currently riding with the handbrake on, so to speak, and hasn’t come close to exhausting his potential. David Alonso is on the verge of stepping up as a Moto2 rider, while Maximo Quiles is regarded as one of the biggest Spanish talents in Moto3. Acosta and Aldeguer in particular are already being talked about as central figures of the next generation. For Marquez, an entire wave of young riders could shape the coming years.

What Marquez’s Comments Mean for the 2026 MotoGP Season

The comments come at a time when Marquez has already settled his sporting future. He has extended his Ducati contract through 2028, stressing that he wants to decide the timing of his own retirement rather than suffer through the end of his career.

On track, the season remains tight. Within just two Grand Prix, his lead over Marco Bezzecchi shrank from 102 to 40 points. Marquez himself describes that as almost unimaginable and points out that riders from first to sixth place are extremely close together. His look back at Rossi and Lorenzo, together with his view of the young guard, fit into a title-winning season in which the reigning world champion is fighting for wins while already openly addressing the transition to the next generation of riders.

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