“Put feelings aside - Marquez is more talented than Rossi or Stoner!”

Marquez will return in 2023 aiming for a seventh premier class championship which would draw him level with his enemy Rossi’s tally.

But he has already won the battle to be remembered as the sport’s best, says Salvadori, the MotoE rider who has shot to prominence as a YouTuber.

He explains: “Stoner and Marquez, the most talented riders that MotoGP has ever seen.

“Rossi is my favourite rider, and it is thanks to him that I started riding. The day I received [a book autographed by Rossi] was the best day of my life.

“But sometimes you need to put feelings aside and look at what happens on track with detachment.

“We must look at how some results were achieved.

“From my point of view, Valentino was the most ‘complete’ rider. So, the strongest of them all.

“If I were to ask: ‘What about talent? Is he as good as Stoner or Marquez?’

“Not really.

“Between these two, who is the strongest? To me, Marquez is.

“Because of the feeling he gave me while watching him ride. Because of the pure and crystal-clear talent he showed.

“Every time Marquez rode, before he got hurt, he thought about how he could destroy his opponents. And he did it well. The confidence he demonstrated, and his superiority on track, were amazing.

“There were three times Marquez proved he was the strongest rider ever. It was almost non-human, the competitiveness and nastiness he put in.

“Argentina 2018  - I still have goosebumps. I was angry at how he behaved but I admired his talent.

“Moto2 Valencia 2012 - he hit Simone Corsi hard, like an assassin, during practice! He started last and won.

“Estoril 2010 - Marquez starts last, recovers and wins the title.

“Marquez is controversial. In terms of sportsmanship he has often done wrong. But you can’t question his talent.”