Jorge Lorenzo slams his former teammate Valentino Rossi: “He’s not there”

The debate over the greatest rider in MotoGP history has taken a new, controversial turn. Speaking out is five-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo, who has identified Marc Márquez and Giacomo Agostini as the two main contenders for the title of GOAT (Greatest of All Time), while excluding Valentino Rossi.

The Spaniard’s comments, made to TNT Sports 2, come at a particularly significant moment. Márquez is, in fact, on the verge of his tenth world title, a milestone that would allow him to surpass Rossi in total championships won and bring him even closer to Agostini’s records: “I think there will be a real debate over who is the greatest of all time between Márquez and Agostini. For me, if he wins this tenth world title, he will undoubtedly be the best of the modern era. Rossi isn’t even in that group,” Lorenzo stated. These are strong words that directly call out his former Yamaha teammate, with whom he shared years of particularly intense rivalry.

The former Majorcan rider then elaborated on his assessment of the Spanish champion, focusing particularly on his technical skills and his ability to continue competing at the very highest level despite the physical problems he’s faced in recent years: “I think Marc was stronger last year, before his crash at Mandalika. That crash weakened him physically, and this year he’s struggled to maintain his fitness, but he’s made up for it all with pure technique,” he explained. Then came his verdict: “For me, in terms of technique and riding ability, he’s the best in history.”