The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, a fourth appointment of the MotoGP season, gave not only a spectacular race, but also a new chapter in the historic rivalry between Valentino Rossi and Marc Márquez. This time, however, the focus was not only on the competition on the track, but on a controversial episode that saw Márquez accused of a violation of the rules, followed by an unprecedented warning by Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, addressed to Rossi. The accident rekindled the tensions between the owner of the VR46 team and the Spanish pilot, now leader of the championship with the official Ducati, questioning the balance inside the Ducati ecosystem.
During the race, Márquez, who started from pole, dominated from start to finish, conquering his third seasonal victory. However, an action on the sixth lap aroused controversy: Márquez would have exceeded the limits of the track in curve 7, gaining an advantage over Francesco Bagnaia without returning the position, contravening the FIM regulation. The race management inflicted a penalty of a second, which did not alter the final result, but triggered reactions in the paddock. Rossi, present in Jerez, would have commented on the episode in private, defining Márquez “a pilot who does not respect the rules” and insinuating that his conduct is a reflection of his “unfair” character. These words, leaked through sources close to the VR46 team, arrived at the Domenicali ear, which responded with a public warning.
In a declaration issued aSky Sport ItaliaDomenicali defended Márquez, underlining his value for Ducati: “Marc is bringing extraordinary results, he is a sample that runs to win. We do not accept criticisms that question his integrity without concrete evidence. Valentino must respect our project”. The warning was interpreted as a call to Rossi so that it model its statements, especially considering that the VR46 team depends on the motorcycles and the technical support of Ducati. The episode highlighted the tensions between Rossi, which remains an influential figure but outside the official team, and the Duchies management, focused on the success of Márquez and Bagnaia.
The rivalry between Rossi and Márquez has a long and tormented history, with his peak in 2015 in Sepang, when a contact between the two cost Rossi a penalty and the world title. Since then, the two have never sewn the relationship, and every interaction, direct or indirect, feeds the debate between the fans. On platforms like X, Rossi fans accused Márquez of benefiting from a favor from the race management, while the Spanish supporters replied that Rossi is trying to destabilize the rival, envious of his return to the top. Márquez, for his part, avoided feeding the dispute, declaring toDazn Spain: “I am not interested in the words of those who don’t run. I think of the track and the championship”.
Jerez’s accident raises questions about the future of the relationship between Rossi and Ducati. The VR46 team, with pilots such as Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio, is a key component of the Ducati in MotoGP presence, but the technical dependence on the parent company places Rossi in a delicate position. Domenicali, known for its direct approach, seems willing to protect Márquez, considered the centerpiece of the 2025 project, which aims to consolidate the Ducati domain after the title of Jorge Martín with Aprilia in 2024. The season, with 16 races still to be played, promises further sparkles, especially with Bagnaia that chases Márquez for only 12 points in the standings.
While the MotoGP circus is prepared for the France GP, the attention remains high on Márquez, which seems unstoppable, and on Rossi, whose role of “critical observer” could complicate relations with Ducati. The warning of Sundays marks a turning point: for the first time, Rossi is openly found in contrast to the house that hosted him from 2011 to 2012. The violation of Márquez, however mild, has opened a crack that could have repercussions well beyond Jerez. In a world where rivalries feed the show, the Rossi-Márquez saga continues to keep the bench, showing that the past is never really buried.
