“If he rides until he's 50...you never know”

On Tuesday in Sau Paulo, Brazil, Estrella Galicia 0,0 organised an event with Argentina GP race winner and reigning MotoGP™ World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). In an interview during the event with EFE, Marquez spoke about different topics including his title rivals, his teammate Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - the two World Champions seen shaking hands after their 1-2 finish in Argentina.

“Whatever happens with Valentino in the media it has a lot of ‘boom’ because he the most popular rider on the grid,” said Marquez, with the acknowledgment of one another’s performances in Argentina before the podium celebrations coming a year after the ‘Termas clash’, something Marquez has no issues admitting he was at fault for.

"I didn’t have problems admitting that it was my mistake and that’s why I went to apologise. The important thing is knowing that you’ve made a mistake, but this year the story has actually changed quite a lot. Time solves everything,” explained Marquez, who also admitted that “being friends with one of your rivals, whether Valentino or someone else, is really difficult, almost impossible, because later on track there is a rivalry,” before adding that “off track, you have to have respect”

And what does Marquez think about sharing a garage with the nine-time World Champion? The question was offered to the seven-time Champion: “Man, if he rides until he’s 50… you never know.” Then the number 93 spared no praise for the Italian: “What Valentino is doing at 40 is incredible, mostly because of how he keeps motivated and maintains his spirit. It will be difficult sharing a team all those years.”

The conversation moved on to who Marquez sees as his main Championship challengers this season, with the number 93 currently leading Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) by four points and Rossi by 14 heading to Round 3 in Austin.

“Dovizioso will maybe make things difficult, but Valentino will be there”, guessed Marc, offering an implicit compliment to the 46: “It’s curious that each year there are new names, but in the end the same appear. Last year we finished Valentino, Dovi and me as top three in the championship and this year we’re the same.”

Marquez also mentioned Lorenzo, who is currently struggling with injuries and a lack of time on his new machine. But Marquez is convinced his fellow Spaniard will come good: “Jorge is maybe struggling to adapt more, but he has the same talent as always. In the end, he will end up going fast, I’m sure.”