Marc Marquez has opened a 60-point lead in the 2026 MotoGP standings after taking a win and a second place at the Qatar Grand Prix. At next week’s Portuguese Grand Prix, he needs only to win the sprint to secure the world title. That result would give him eight premier-class championships, bringing him level with Giacomo Agostini in the comparison that frames the latest greatest-of-all-time argument.

Jorge Lorenzo sees that possible championship as a dividing line in the debate over the sport’s greatest rider. In his view, the serious discussion would be between Marquez and Agostini, with Valentino Rossi outside that particular comparison. Lorenzo also ranks Marquez as the greatest rider of the modern era if he completes the title campaign.

The assessment is based not only on titles but also on riding quality. Lorenzo described Marquez as the best ever in terms of technique and riding. He added that Marquez was stronger last season, before the injury at Mandalika. This year, Lorenzo said, Marquez has found it harder to sustain the same form, but has made up for that through technical ability. The 2026 campaign has also seen Marquez recover from a 102-point deficit.

The Rossi history behind the opinion

Lorenzo made the comments during the Qatar weekend, against the backdrop of a rivalry that shaped both men’s careers. He and Rossi were Yamaha team-mates, and a wall was erected between the two sides of the garage during their time together to limit the movement of information.

The relationship was also bound up with the disputed 2015 title campaign. Rossi accused Marquez of interfering with his championship challenge and has recently argued that Marquez was racing to make him lose. Rossi said the episode still troubles him more than a decade later. A possible eighth premier-class title for Marquez would therefore add another layer to a rivalry that continues to influence how MotoGP’s greatest riders are judged.