Marquez: “I had posters, played video games as Rossi | rookie title my biggest”

Although they became (and remain) fierce rivals, Marquez grew up regarding Rossi as a hero.

In 2013, with Rossi returning to Yamaha after two ill-fated years at Ducati, Marquez debuted in the premier class and took it by storm to claim the championship.

“I am eight-times world champion, six times in MotoGP,” Marquez said. 

“I cannot describe my personality. Here, it looks like I am quiet. But on the track it is the opposite. Like day and night.

“When I arrived in MotoGP, I was a big surprise for everybody because I won in the first year against my idols - Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo.

“When I was a kid I had posters, and I played in video games as, Valentino Rossi.

“Then in 2013 I won the category. In my career this was the biggest thing I did.”

Rossi would never win another premier class championship with Marquez in the mix.

Marquez racked up six - and although he remains stuck on that tally amid the most testing period of his career - he has explained the mentality of being a champion.

“To be a world champion, or to be the best, it is not necessary to be the fastest guy on the track,” he said.

“You need to be smart, fast, to have talent, to be a worker. To combine all of these things.

“I saw some guys who were faster than me when we were kids, but they didn’t manage the situation. They didn’t arrive in the world championships.

“You need to be very smart. Attack the moment.

“Think only about you. Because the others want to take your back, they want to take your place.

“You don’t have friends.

“I am a competitor. The ambition is there. It was always there, since I was a kid.

“I can never have enough. If I have something, I want more.

“If I am fast, I want to be faster.

“I’m a natural competitor. This is something you are born with.

“When you are four or five years old, if I lost a game to my father or grandfather, I was crying! I was born with this mentality.”