Six years have passed since the famous “incident”, but Valentino Rossi still holds a grudge against Marc Marquez, and continues to blame him for his not winning of an eighth MotoGP title. It was 2015, season when the Valencian Circuit of Cheste was host to the closing event. Since then, he neither forgets… nor forgives. 

He couldn’t have said it any clearer during a recent interview with the Italian ‘Il Corriere Della Sera’. “To forgive Marc Marquez? Impossible”, he assures during his conversation with the journalist. 

At the interview, the legend from Tavullia, who is about to embark on his twentieth MotoGP season, has gone over some of the most salient professional and personal aspects of his life. The name of his Spanish enemy, of course, had to come up at some point in the conversation. 

Rossi criticises the management of Marc’s injury 

Unsurprisingly, Rossi has not missed the chance to comment on Marquez’ injury. The Catalan pilot is still convalescing following his third surgery, which was made worst by a hasty return to action and which has kept him in the dry dock since the opening event of the 2020 World Championship. 

As it was to be expected, Valentino Rossi has been very critical of the way Marc’s fracture has been managed. The Italian has not hesitated to harshly condemn Marquez being allowed to compete just four days after his first surgery. What’s more, Rossi believes that the World Championship organization failed to comply with existing MotoGP rules and protocols. He also points the finger to Marc’s team and advisers. 

“The mistake was wanting to race again too soon and right after an operation. I don’t understand how they allowed that to happen. If you think about it, Doctor Costa was a pioneer (in the MotoGP World Championship). He revolutionized treatments (of injured pilots) and reduced immobilization times”. 

“So, after Lorenzo’s very fast return to Assen in 2013, Dorna introduced rules to avoid taking excessive risks but With Marquez’ return, they all jumped at once, surely like never before” – Argues Il Dottore -. 
 

“I am sorry he cannot compete”… Are you really? 

With a certain degree of acknowledged hypocrisy, Valentino Rossi declared that he is sorry that his enemy could not take part in the last World Championship. “I will give you the diplomatic answer: I am sorry that he couldn’t race (…) If he is cured, something that no one knows at the moment, he will return as strong as before”. 

Following on from that comment, however, Rossi was quick to have another dig at the Spaniard of his nightmares: “(…) Marquez has not been the toughest rival I have faced.” 

To culminate his attack on Marquez, the Italian has once again made clear that he cannot forgive Marquez after the later would allegedly conspire with his compatriot (Lorenzo) for this to win the 2015 World Championship, preventing him from doing so. 

What’s more, he continues to hold Marquez as the sole culprit of what happened: “It is impossible for me to forget it. What he did to me I cannot forgive him for. When I think of those days, I have the same feelings now, six years later, as I had then. I don’t think these are going to change.” 

Rossi’s goal for 2021 is to recover the pace he has lost on the track and become competitive again onboard his M1. Pulling on his winning genes, he is eager to feel the taste of the champagne in his mouth again: “I compete because I think I can win the Championship. it’s not an obsession. I would be happy to do well, make podiums, be a protagonist in the fight”. 

On a personal level, Valentino Rossi spoke about some of his new interests such as politics, but there is one thing in his life that seems to remain unchanged over the years: His obsession and anger towards the eldest of the Marquez’ brothers. 

Images of Valentino Rossi: MotoGP.