ROSSI SAYS 2015 FEUD WITH MARQUEZ STILL HURTS AND THEY AVOID EACH OTHER

Valentino Rossi has revisited his bitter 2015 MotoGP rivalry with Marc Marquez in a new autobiography, La Mia Storia, released on 10 November. Rossi maintains that Marquez interfered in his championship fight with Jorge Lorenzo, and says the episode still hurts. The nine-time world champion’s account renews his claim that Marquez wanted him to lose. Rossi had previously published a book about his career while still competing at the sport’s highest level; the new work offers a fresh look back at his story and the controversy that overshadowed the 2015 title battle.

Speaking to Italian radio station Radio Deejay while promoting the book, Rossi said his feelings about the end of that season had not changed. “The feelings I have about the end of 2015 are exactly the same as 10 years ago,” he said. “I haven’t gotten over it.” He argued that the dispute had roots stretching back several years, rejecting Marquez’s account that he began trying to make Rossi lose only after Rossi criticised him at a press conference. “That’s a lie, isn’t it?” Rossi said, claiming Marquez had already worked against him at the Australian Grand Prix.

Rossi’s accusations became public at the Malaysian Grand Prix, before the on-track clash commonly referred to as the “kick”. He was penalised and sent to the back of the grid for the Valencia finale, where Lorenzo secured the championship. Rossi has described the 2015 campaign as his last opportunity to win an eighth premier-class title.

The former rider, who retired at the end of 2021 and now leads the VR46 team, attends only a small number of races. He was present at three of the first 20 Grands Prix of 2026: Barcelona, Brno and Misano. Asked whether he and Marquez deliberately avoid each other in the paddock, Rossi smiled and answered, “Yes.” They crossed paths in the pit lane at last year’s Austrian Grand Prix but did not acknowledge one another. Marquez has also said a reconciliation is currently impossible.

Rossi was additionally asked about the number of Spanish riders in MotoGP. He pointed to the Ezpeleta family’s control of the championship, saying, “Come on, it’s a family thing for them. MotoGP is Spanish.” He added that Liberty Media’s takeover could make the series “less Spanish and more international.” Nine of the 22 riders on the 2026 grid are Spanish, with the same number expected in 2027; six Italian riders are contracted for next season.