Valentino Rossi “will help Pecco in every way possible” in 2025 Marc Marquez battle

Former MotoGP racer Alex Barros says Valentino Rossi told him “he will help” Francesco Bagnaia “in every way possible” against Marc Marquez in 2025.

Reigning double world champion Bagnaia will be partnered by Marquez at the factory Ducati team next year after the latter forced a major rider market bombshell earlier this summer.

The pairing is already anticipated to have a tense relationship, with it known that the VR46 camp was not happy with Ducati’s U-turn in deciding against promoting Jorge Martin to the factory team.

This stems from Rossi’s long-running feud with Marquez, with the nine-time world champion telling L’Equipe recently that he didn’t understand Ducati’s decision.

Seven-time premier class race winner Barros met with Rossi at the recent Sao Paulo World Endurance Championship round and told Motosan: “Valentino has very clear ideas and told me that he will help Pecco in every way possible.

“It will be a difficult year, but for sure the Italian’s long period in Ducati, the two titles and the third on the way, as well as the progress of the Desmosedici, will be kept in mind.

“But the arrival of a rider capable of altering the equilibrium will change things in the course of the season.”

Barros believes Bagnaia and Marquez “are not friends”, despite publicly having a good relationship, and says any fallout between them in 2025 will only help Ducati’s rivals.

“Bagnaia is a [VR46] Academy rider and he knows Rossi’s opinion of Marquez, because of everything that happened between them.

“So, even if he doesn’t show it, they are not friends. If next year Marc, who has just arrived, were to make a difference maybe already in the winer, there will be a lot of controversy and a high level of rivalry.

“Managing two riders like that is complicated. In the eyes of the public it will be fine, but internally it will be tough.

“Should they start to bother each other or fall out, they could Aprilia and KTM if [they are] equipped with a good bike.”