A former MotoGP competitor, Andrea Iannone, recently addressed a long-standing question within the sport: who holds the title of the greatest MotoGP rider, Valentino Rossi or Marc Marquez? Reflecting on his career spanning an era rich with legendary talent, Iannone expressed his opinion and provided insights into the evolving landscape of MotoGP.
During the mid-2000s to mid-2010s, MotoGP experienced what many consider a golden era. This period featured some of the sport’s most iconic riders and intense rivalries. Valentino Rossi stood out early on, dominating the shift from the 500cc class to the MotoGP category in the early 2000s, setting a high standard for excellence.
Rossi’s dominance was soon challenged by a group of exceptional riders—Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, and Andrea Dovizioso—who came to be known as “The Four Aliens” due to their extraordinary skill and impact on the sport. After Stoner’s retirement in 2012, the era seemed to be winding down, only for Marc Marquez to enter the scene in 2013 and redefine the sport’s boundaries with remarkable success.
Marc Marquez’s Impact on MotoGP and Iannone’s Career Journey
Marquez won the MotoGP championship in his rookie season, defeating seasoned riders like Rossi, Pedrosa, and Lorenzo, showcasing an aggressive and fearless riding style that quickly propelled him to elite status. At the same time, Andrea Iannone began his MotoGP career with Pramac Ducati, competing alongside these greats during one of the fiercest competitive phases in the sport’s history.
In a candid interview with the Italian outlet Motosprint, Iannone offered his perspective on his contemporaries, ranking some over others based on his experience. On comparing various riders, he said that Daniel Pedrosa was faster than Andrea Dovizioso, while between Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner, he favored Lorenzo. When it came to Rossi, he acknowledged his greatness plainly. However, when the comparison was made between Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi, Iannone chose Marquez.
Daniel Pedrosa was faster than Andrea Dovizioso in my opinion
—Andrea Iannone
Between Lorenzo and Stoner I say Lorenzo, while in comparison with Rossi, I choose Rossi.
—Andrea Iannone
Between Marquez and Rossi? Marquez.
—Andrea Iannone
Conflicts and Challenges During Iannone’s MotoGP Tenure
Iannone’s MotoGP career included moments of promise as well as controversy. After two years with Pramac Ducati, he advanced to the factory Ducati team in 2015, where his partnership with Andrea Dovizioso grew tense and eventually ended, particularly following a notable incident at the Argentina Grand Prix. This strained relationship contributed to his departure from Ducati at the close of 2016.
Following Ducati, Iannone raced for Suzuki in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, then joined Aprilia in 2019. His career was abruptly interrupted when he tested positive for Drostanolone, an anabolic steroid. Although Iannone insisted the substance entered his body accidentally through contaminated meat consumed in Malaysia, both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a four-year ban, effectively halting his career in 2020.
Iannone Reflects on Rivalries and Relationships Within the MotoGP Paddock
Despite the competitive and sometimes adversarial nature of professional racing, Iannone insisted he generally maintained neutral relations with his paddock peers. He noted that while some riders tended to socialize in groups, he preferred training alone, although he occasionally visited Valentino Rossi’s ranch and maintained positive ties with him and others.
I have never had dislikes towards my opponents on the track, I have always been one who has minded his own business. I usually train alone while in recent years the tendency to be in a group even among colleagues has arisen. Sometimes I have been to Valentino Rossi’s ranch. I have a good relationship with him, but in any case I have always had a good relationship with everyone,
—Andrea Iannone
Nonetheless, one rivalry stood out for him personally. Iannone identified his strained relationship with Andrea Dovizioso, particularly highlighting the Argentina incident. He described how telemetry data showed that Dovizioso braked earlier than expected during their collision, suggesting the tension was rooted in race dynamics as much as personal grievance.
Maybe it’s me who doesn’t like someone, like Andrea Dovizioso probably, following the accident in Argentina, when he hit him, even if on that occasion he braked earlier than he should, the telemetry data showed it.
—Andrea Iannone
Iannone’s Unexpected Return to the MotoGP Grid in 2024
After an absence of five years, Iannone returned unexpectedly to the MotoGP paddock at the 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix, the same venue where he last raced before his suspension. Taking the place of the injured Fabio Di Giannantonio, he raced for the VR46 Racing Team, which is owned by Valentino Rossi. Although he finished 17th, this comeback represented a significant personal achievement for Iannone and offered closure to a turbulent chapter of his career.
This return reaffirmed Iannone’s enduring connection to the sport and his respect for its community, highlighting both the challenges he faced and the camaraderie that persists among MotoGP riders and teams.
