
The tension between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez, which began when Rossi felt Marquez cost him the 2015 MotoGP title, still hasn’t cooled down.
It’s been nearly a decade, but debates around what happened during that season still haven’t faded. Rossi missed out on an eighth championship by just five points, finishing behind his Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo.
The key moments in the rivalry came during rounds 16 and 17 in Australia and Malaysia. But according to Lorenzo, it all could have been avoided if Rossi had handled the third race of the year in Argentina differently.
During that race, Marquez crashed out on the second-to-last lap after contact with Rossi while battling for the lead. Later in Malaysia, Marquez retired again after another incident with Rossi, who seemed to be reacting to what he saw as interference from earlier in the season.
Rossi had a strong pace at Phillip Island that year, but he ended up back in the pack. Despite Marquez taking the win and Lorenzo finishing second, Rossi could only manage fourth.
The tension between Rossi and Marquez that year was so intense that VR46 rider coach Andrea Migno doesn’t see any way back. Speaking with Fanpage, Migno questioned why Rossi would ever forgive Marquez, given how much he felt wronged by his actions.
Migno added: “Would you make peace with someone who hurt you? A lot? I don’t think so. There’s no chance Valentino will forgive Marc. Then again, in my opinion, maybe in another 10 years they’ll make peace.”
Rossi isn’t the only one who’s not looking to patch things up with Marquez, even after a decade has passed. The feeling seems mutual, with Marquez also showing no interest in moving past their old issues unless Rossi takes the first step.
The tension between them is still clear, as shown at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix. During this year’s event at the Red Bull Ring, they crossed paths in the pit lane before the Sprint Race but didn’t acknowledge each other.
Speaking this November, Marquez stated “I don’t need him” while discussing Rossi and their ongoing feud. So, Migno may be right to suggest that Rossi and Marquez might need another decade before the two come together to make peace over what transpired in 2015.
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