Valentino Rossi already understands why Pedro Acosta and Marc Marquez are fighting at Ducati.

The match with MarquezIt’s one of the most anticipated events in MotoGP history, which has been an open secret for months. Many believe Acosta will be the face of the sport, but this is the last rite of passage.

Where do Marc Marquez/Pedro Acosta rank among the greatest MotoGP line-ups of all time?

Pedro Acosta conveys the memories of Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha for Ducati

The parallels with Jorge Lorenzo’s move to Yamaha They are clear in 2008. The main difference is that Lorenzo was a rookie at the time and Acosta was starting his fourth season when he joined Ducati.

But Acosta Another living legend will still be only 22 at the beginning of next year.

When the moves were announced, both riders were considered superstars in the process. Lorenzo scored 17 wins, 19 poles and 23 podiums in 31 races in the 250cc class.

Acosta holds the record without a winBut since joining the factory team last year, he has outlasted three established race winners on KTM.

Given what Marquez has achieved, this is called a ‘dream team’, but it naturally comes with the risk of conflict.

“I was very angry with Yamaha because they thought they needed a newcomer, they needed a very strong rival,” said Rossi, reflecting on Lorenzo’s arrival.Tales of Valentino‘ Series.

How do today’s MotoGP riders fare against the ‘Fantastic Five’?

Marquez, Rossi, Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Stoner made up the ‘Fabulous Five’.

“’F—why?’ I told him. I bet on Yamaha in 2004 when Yamaha was very, very slow. And we won a lot of championships together. I didn’t deserve Jorge Lorenzo as my teammate, I wanted a little bit more.

Rossi Before Lorenzo, he won two MotoGP titles with Yamaha and five overall in the premier class. Likewise, Márquez has moved on to the 2025 crown and could retain his title after a major breakthrough against Marco Bezcicci.

He had Bagnayan in hand, but Ducati They clearly see Acosta as a strong rider, otherwise they wouldn’t have made the move.

The Marquez/Bagnaia combination was already arguably the best on the grid, but Luigi Daligna improved it mercilessly and crucially kept Acosta out of the hands of his rivals.

The mutual respect between Márquez and Acosta is evident this season, and the former has been and is now holding himself back from driving. But like Rossi, he may question whether the change is really necessary.

It is easier to maintain good relations in isolated groups when there is no topic at stake. But next year there will be nothing to cool the tension.

Ducati have paired two extremely aggressive and fearsome riders who know this partnership will shape part of their legacy. Accordingly, it seems inevitable that they will eventually fail.

They probably don’t need a wall in the garage like Rossi and Lorenzo, but the collision control skills of Dall’Igna and Davide Tardozzi are bound to be tested in some capacity.