Rossi advises Bagnaia to fight against Marquez

The next season of MotoGP will most certainly mark the beginning of another great rivalry in the discipline. Equipped with the Desmosedici GP25, already considered the reference machine of the field, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia are expected to be the two favorites for the title.

This will be Bagnaia's third main opponent since joining the Ducati factory team, after fabio quartararo and Jorge Martin, against whom he has fought at the top of the hierarchy in recent seasons.

The opponent he will face this year will be very different, however. Bagnaia will no longer be up against a young rider on the rise, but against a confirmed champion, who is trying to get back to winning ways.

To support him in his fight against this monument of the discipline, the Italian can fortunately count on the valuable advice of another great champion. Protected by Valentino Rossi, having passed through the nine-time world champion's channel, the VR46 Riders Academy, Bagnaia can benefit from the experience of Marc Marquez's greatest rival.

© Ducati Corse

Rossi's advice

The two men have, in fact, engaged in often muscular duels during the last decade, which has in a certain way tarnished the relations between their respective clans. Questioned on the sidelines of the 2025 MotoGP season, Valentino Rossi gave an idea of ​​how the n°63 will have to act against his new garage neighbor.

“There are days when you have to win and days when you have to bring home points, confides the Doctor in the columns of The Corriere Della Sera. He didn't do it [in 2024], otherwise he would have also won his third world championship in MotoGP."

Rossi is referring here to Bagnaia's lack of consistency against Jorge Martin last season. The Italian having let the title slip away by ten points, despite his eleven victories in twenty rounds. The number 46 also evokes the psychological aspect of his future fight against the Spanish champion.

"He must not fall into traps and mind games, He continues. You don't want to be conditioned by your teammate. In duels, you have to have fun and try the impossible."

It remains to be seen how Bagnaia will put Rossi's advice into practice, as the pair return to the track in a few days' time for pre-season testing at Sepang (5-7 February).

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