Marc Marquez "hell" is key to Valentino Rossi MotoGP king row, says Pedro Acosta

Marc Marquez came back “from hell” to be again at the top of MotoGP, his fellow Spaniard Pedro Acosta says.

He is on course to match his rival Valentino Rossi's tally of nine world titles.

Acosta joined Marquez on the MotoGP grid in 2024 after winning two titles in his first three grand prix seasons in the lower categories.

It had been an up-and-down start to 2025 for Acosta as he moved to the factory KTM team – his results didn’t improve versus his rookie year initially and he was consistently linked with a move away from the Austrian factory throughout the early part of the season.

In recent races, Acosta’s form has improved and he has four podiums in the last six races, including Sprints.

All four of those top-three finishes have seen him on either the Sprint or grand prix podium alongside Marc Marquez, who has won the last seven Sprints and seven grands prix in the premier class.

Pedro Acosta wades into Marc Marquez v Valentino Rossi GOAT debate

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider confessed his respect for Marquez, now affirmatively one of his on-track rivals, who he feels could’ve stopped in 2020 after fracturing his humerus and been able to reflect anyway on a good career.

“When Marquez wins this championship, he will sit at the table where Rafa Nadal, Fernando Alonso and Pau Gasol are,” Pedro Acosta said, speaking to AS about legendary Spanish sportsmen.

“Apart from Michael Jordan, when he went to baseball and then came back, I think it will be the most brutal return in sport that has been seen in many years.

“It's not that he’s had a regular year or two. He spent a whole year at home and by pushing and pushing he has put himself where he wanted.

“Marc Marquez would not have needed to race again. His story was already done, but he has put more effort into it than anyone else and things have turned out well, because without that we are not going anywhere.

“Along with Jordan and the big three of the Spaniards I mentioned, Marquez will be there, which is also where Valentino is, who had two bad years at Ducati.

“But this guy [Marquez] has had to come back from hell to win again. For me, he and Valentino are the same.”

Acosta also has appreciation for Valentino Rossi, whose VR46 Racing Team he was linked with earlier in 2025 before he accepted that his 2026 lies with KTM.

“For me Valentino Rossi is still Valentino Rossi, because a large part of what MotoGP is today has been because of Valentino,” Acosta said of the Italian, who invited him to the famous 100km dei Campioni race in January where Acosta partnered his road racing favourite Michael Dunlop.