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

• After his injury years from 2020 to 2023, Marquez no longer sees the records of Rossi and Agostini as a goal.
• He names Jorge Lorenzo as his strongest rival for his early years, and Valentino Rossi over his whole career.
• He sees Pedro Acosta, Fermin Aldeguer, David Alonso and Maximo Quiles as riders who could replace him.

At the end of June 2026, Marc Marquez gave a long interview to the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. Shortly before, he had extended his Ducati contract until 2028. The conversation is less about the next race than about the big picture of his career: old rivals, all-time records and the question of who comes next. The nine-time world champion comes across as notably relaxed.

Why is Marc Marquez no longer chasing records?

Marquez says the marks set by Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini no longer matter to him. After the years from 2020 to 2023, he considers it a gift just to be racing at the front at all.

He would once have answered differently. Had he been asked five years ago, he would have said without hesitation that he wanted to catch those records. Then came the 2020 crash at Jerez and the broken upper arm, followed by several operations and long breaks. Today he sees it as an honour when his name appears on record lists next to Rossi and Agostini, and he asks for nothing more. In his words: “Avere un titolo in più o in meno non mi cambierà più la vita.” In English: one title more or less won’t change his life any more.

Marquez says he found his peace last year at Motegi. There he wrapped up his ninth title early and proved to himself that he could still win. One thing mattered most to him: his career should not end with the consequences of his premature return after the 2020 injury. For him, that chapter is closed.

How many wins does Marquez need to match Rossi and Agostini?

In MotoGP, Marquez needs three more wins to draw level with Rossi. He has 73 premier-class victories, while Rossi holds the record with 76.

Across all classes, Marquez has 101 Grand Prix wins. Rossi won 115 races and nine world titles in total. The most Grand Prix wins of all belong to Giacomo Agostini with 122, which leaves Marquez 21 short.

Who does Marquez consider his strongest rival?

Marquez gives two answers. For the time when he arrived in the world championship, he names Jorge Lorenzo, because Lorenzo was the best back then. Over his whole career, however, he puts Valentino Rossi first.

Rossi was out on track at the time as well, Marquez recalls, and the numbers show the Italian was better than Lorenzo overall. So Marquez separates a snapshot of his first years from the record of an entire career.

What does Marquez say about Pedro Acosta as a teammate?

Marquez expects Pedro Acosta to put him under pressure in the Ducati factory team, and he even welcomes it. Acosta had said he wants to learn a lot from Marquez.

Marquez does not expect the younger rider to hold back. That is the natural order of things, because “nessuno è invincibile”, nobody is unbeatable. If Acosta beats him one day, it will simply be what happens to everyone: sooner or later a younger rider comes along who is faster. He only wants to look at the topic in more detail over the winter.

Which young riders could replace Marquez?

Marquez does not see Acosta as the only possible successor. He talks of “two or three” riders and, alongside Acosta, names Fermin Aldeguer, David Alonso and Maximo Quiles.

Of Aldeguer he says that he is still riding practically on one leg at the moment. With David Alonso from Moto2 and Maximo Quiles from Moto3, he names two riders who have not yet reached the premier class. So for Marquez there will not be a single heir but a whole group of young riders moving up.

Where does Marquez stand in the 2026 MotoGP championship?

Marquez is behind Marco Bezzecchi in the 2026 standings but has recently closed the gap considerably. After the Brno Grand Prix, round nine of 22, he was 40 points down.

Two races earlier the deficit had been 102 points. Had anyone predicted that, he would have asked what they had been drinking, Marquez says. This season the riders from first to sixth are close together, so he expects more surprises. His future is settled regardless. With his new Ducati contract through 2028, he wants above all to decide the moment of his retirement himself and to enjoy racing right to the last race without suffering at the end.

Frequently Asked Questions