Valentino Rossi “good at controlling the fans”, incident showed his “bad side”

Valentino Rossi’s “bad side” was demonstrated in his war with Marc Marquez, it has been claimed.

The nastiest rivalry in MotoGP remains relevant to his day with Marquez in the same factory Ducati garage as Rossi’s protege Pecco Bagnaia.

Marquez is gunning for a ninth world championship this season which would match his old nemesis.

“Rossi was very good at controlling the fans,” Scott Redding told the Motorsport Republica podcast.

“He’s always been good at that.

“That’s why he’s such a big name in the sport - because he was the only one with a personality!

“Good or bad, he played it very well.

“When things got rough and ready with Marc, and he played the fans against him, it was naughty.

“Marc had people turning up to his house… there was no need for it.

“[Rossi] could have stopped it. People won’t agree, but it showed the bad side of Rossi.

“Marc was getting booed last year in Misano. Pecco Bagnaia was on the podium saying ‘you don’t need to do that’, and I respect that.”

Scott Redding: 'Didn't see eye to eye' with rivals

Redding competed in MotoGP alongside Marquez and Rossi for five years, throughout their notorious clashes in Sepang, Argentina and the rest.

He remembers an era where riders were not so friendly - and he prefers it.

“The end of it was Valentino Rossi v Marc Marquez,” Redding said.

“But Rossi v Sete Gibernau, that was racing. It was f****** personal!

“I used to be in the paddock and didn’t even have a handle of friends. If I had a friend in the same race, it was difficult. I could manage it but…

“I didn’t see eye to eye with them. Now they all have dinner together.

“For me, when I’m on the grid I'm going to war. I used to struggle with that, when I took the helmet off.

“Over the years it has become a friendship thing. They all train together! I don’t want to train with my rivals, they’re all learning each other’s weaknesses.

“It’s hard now because it’s the way the sport is going. You are expected to be nice.

“If you give a middle finger to someone in the race, you get a fine. Say something bad, you get a fine.”