Will Valentino Rossi ever win another MotoGP title?

Arguably, they are led by Suzuki’s Alex Rins, who narrowly but convincingly triumphed over the grand past-master at the third race of 2019, the Americas GP in Texas. Twenty-three-year-old Rins’ first MotoGP win came by less than half a second after some well-judged hand-to-hand combat, albeit in the absence of defending champion Marquez, who had crashed out of a seemingly invincible position before half distance.

Naturally, given Rossi’s four decades, the oldest rider in this or any other grand prix class, all the others are younger than him, including fellow-veteran Andrea Dovizioso. But “Desmo Dovi” at 33 is likewise feeling the hot breath of pushy youngsters.

They range from rising Australian Jack Miller (24), on a factory-spec Ducati to super-fast rookies Joan Mir (21, Suzuki) and the astonishing 19-year-old Fabio Quartararo, who finished eighth and seventh on the satellite Yamaha in the last two races.

Spiciest of all for Rossi however must be his own protégés. This ever-growing all-Italian gang of youths was hand-picked by him for schooling on his own training ranch, aiming to return Italy to racing pre-eminence over Spain. They have rapidly outgrown their undergraduate gowns.

Valentino takes a very active part in the riding segment of a comprehensive training programme that also includes English lessons and a grounding in contract negotiating. He recently set a new lap record for the ranch dirt-track, narrowly pipping star pupil Lorenzo Baldassarri, currently leading the Moto2 championship.

The smaller classes are rife with them. Valentino has his own VR46 teams in Moto3 and Moto2, where his half-brother Luca Marini is a serious title candidate. Both classes are rich with other Rossi ranch-mates.

By now, Rossi ranch alumni are becoming a threatening presence in MotoGP. There is ex-Moto2 champion Franco Morbidelli, aged 24 and on the other satellite Yamaha, which (as the senior in that team) has been promised to be in full factory spec.

New this year, and another Rossi choice, second satellite Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia, who won Moto2 last year. The 22-year-old has proved ultra-fast in testing and practice; it’s only a matter of time before he finds his racing feet.

Time is exactly what Valentino doesn’t have. His contract is up at the end of this season, and he has already expressed some doubts about whether he will renew it. His enthusiasm and love of racing doesn’t seem to be abating, but Yamaha might have reservations, and the ever-canny Rossi might be preparing the ground for exactly that.

What he does have, over and above obvious talent and highly polished race-craft, is the most astonishing motivation. What famous predecessor Mick Doohan used to call “the Want”… what for most riders generally runs out before talent.

This year, more perhaps than rivals to Rossi, he might hope for his ranch alumni to act as allies. His real target has to be Marquez, who has loomed large ever since he arrived in the premier class in 2013, with the first of his five titles at the first attempt.

The relationship has been more than strained. The first cracks in Rossi’s smooth nice-guy façade came with his public verbal and later on-track attack in Malaysia in 2015. The fit of pique arguably cost him the championship: he was in the lead with one race to go, but a back-of-the-grid start at the final race left the way open for Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo.

There followed a couple of years of black looks and public snubs, refusing to shake hands when asked; then things got even nastier in Argentina last year, after Marquez punted Rossi off. Rossi refused to accept his apology, and accused him of tactics “that ruin the sport”.

There has been something of a thaw this year, however; and the long-awaited hand-shake took place, unprompted, in parc ferme in Argentina, where Marquez won, but Rossi took a fighting second place from Dovizioso in a fine final lap.

This new cordiality might of course be just another tactic. He will try anything to unsettle Marquez, to shore up the dwindling chances of adding the eight wins he needs to beat Agostini’s total of 122. Including training up a new generation of rivals.

Photography courtesy of Motorsport Images.