Valentino Rossi makes first 2025 prediction which involves Marc Marquez
MotoGP legends looks to new season
Valentino Rossi has offered a prediction about how Marc Marquez will fare this season.
Marquez is moving into the official Ducati garage with Pecco Bagnaia, the VR46 protege.
After winning the championship with Ducati in 2022 and 2023, Bagnaia was dethroned by manufacturer stablemate Jorge Martin - who joins the factory Aprilia team this year - last season.
Despite scoring 11 grands prix victories to Martin’s three across the campaign, eight non-scores led to Bagnaia missing out on the championship by 10 points at the final round.
Bagnaia remains with the factory Ducati squad for 2025, but faces his toughest challenge yet as eight-time world champion Marquez joins the team.
At the recent 100Km of Champions event in Tavullia organised by Rossi, he told Sky Sports Italy about his protege Bagnaia and his rival Marquez.
“The Ducati factory team riders are the main candidates for the title,” Rossi said.
“Bagnaia is very excited because he wants to redeem himself from last year’s defeat.
"So, we hope he can give that extra 5%.”
Rossi and team-mate Luca Marini came second in last weekend’s 100km of Champions event, with Diogo Moreira and Thomas Chareyre beating them.
Elia Bartolini and Lorenzo Baldassarri completed the podium.
Bagnaia was partnered with Marco Bezzecchi and came sixth, while Pedro Acosta and Isle of Man TT star Michael Dunlop were last.
Rossi will continue as a factory BMW driver in 2025, though his car racing programme for the coming season is yet to be defined.
Last year Rossi raced in the World Endurance Championship for the first time as well as competing in the GT World Challenge Europe with the BMW-backed WRT squad.
However, he wants to scale back his racing programmes in 2025 and increase his presence at MotoGP events.