Marc Marquez “infinitely faster” than Valentino Rossi, says former rival

Marc Marquez is “infinitely faster” than Valentino Rossi was during his career, says Jorge Martinez “Aspar”.

Martinez runs the Aspar Team in Moto3 and Moto2, and won the 2026 title in the lightweight category at the Indonesian Grand Prix with Marc Marquez protege Max Quiles.

He also raced alongside Valentino Rossi in the Italian’s early 125cc career – indeed it was Martinez whom Rossi beat to his first ever grand prix victory at Brno in 1996.

For Martinez, while Rossi was the more "complete" rider, Marquez – who equalled the Italian’s total of nine world titles last year – is the one with clearly more outright speed in MotoGP.

“[Rossi and Marquez] are very different,” said Jorge Martinez “Aspar” on the Fast and Curious podcast, as reported by the Italian publication GPOne.

“I think Valentino, as a rider, was perhaps more complete, but for me Marc is infinitely faster.

“I have enormous admiration for the way he has managed his career, for his aggressiveness, for the continuous search for the limit and above all for how he has managed to overcome all injuries.”

Martinez added: “Marc is a rider who deserves to be studied mentally. He has incredible strength. 

“Valentino was also special in this respect, but what Marc has had to face and overcome in his career is something that arouses great admiration.”

Marquez’s evolution from a high-risk rider to his post-injury approach of balancing those risks against the potential reward is also something that has impressed Martinez.

"The Marc we saw until 2019 was a rider who risked everything,” he said.

“Either he won or he fell, he was brutal. 

“Today he thinks much more and tries to take less risks. It's normal, because he has accumulated experience, experienced very serious injuries and won many titles. 

“All this changes the way we see things.”

Despite the change in approach that has made Marquez seem more measured than before his physical problems started with the broken humerus in 2020, the 33-year-old remains the benchmark in MotoGP, Martinez thinks.

“For me he continues to be the point of reference,” the Aspar team boss said of the 2025 MotoGP champion.

“Just look at him on the track, especially when braking and entering corners. You see him coming and you think he will never be able to stop the bike, but he can. 

“The other riders start more calmly, he looks for the limit from the first minute of practice. This is one of his great differences.”