Jorge Martinez “Aspar” draws a clear distinction between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi: Rossi was the more complete rider, but Marquez had far greater outright speed in MotoGP. Martinez is well placed to make that comparison, having raced alongside Rossi early in the Italian’s 125cc career while continuing to work at Grand Prix level as the head of Aspar Team’s Moto3 and Moto2 operations.

Martinez’s own career gives the comparison a specific point of reference. Rossi beat him at Brno in 1996 for the first Grand Prix victory of his career. Martinez is also closely connected to Marquez’s current racing sphere: Aspar Team won the 2026 Moto3 title at the Indonesian Grand Prix with Max Quiles, a rider supported by Marquez. Marquez had also equalled Rossi’s total of nine world titles the previous year.

A different approach after 2020

Martinez admires Marquez’s aggression, his relentless pursuit of the limit and the strength he has shown in overcoming the serious challenges of his career. In Martinez’s view, the Marquez seen through 2019 raced with an all-or-nothing mentality. He risked everything: victory or a crash.

The broken humerus in 2020 and the serious injuries that followed changed that calculation. Marquez now appears more deliberate, weighing the risk against the possible reward more carefully. At 33, he remains Martinez’s benchmark for MotoGP, and Martinez identifies him as the 2025 champion.

The difference is most visible under braking and on corner entry. Marquez searches for the limit from the opening minute of practice, attacking the corner in a way that can make it seem impossible for him to stop the bike in time. For Martinez, that ability captures the contrast between Marquez’s exceptional outright pace and Rossi’s broader completeness as a rider.