Although they becꦑame (and remain) fierce rivals, Marqu🍌ez grew up regarding Rossi as a hero.

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

“I am eight-times world chꦕampion, 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 R𝕴ossi, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo.

“When I was a k♛id I had posters, and I played in video gameওs as, Valentino Rossi.

“Th⛦en 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 t🍎he mix.

Marquez racked up six - and although he remains stuck on that t🌸aওlly 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 o🍌n the track,” he said.

“You need to be smart, fast, to have talent,𝔍 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 d🔯idn’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 ta𝕴ke 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. I🉐f ཧI 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 wasꦓ crying! I was born with this mentality.”