The 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, which inaugurated the MotoGP stage, is not only the start of a new fight for the title, but also the stage for a heated controversy that has seen Valentino Rossi at the center of the storm. After the Marquez brothers’ one-two, with Marc first and Alex second in Lusail, Rossi shook the paddock by accusing Marc’s Ducati GP25 of having an “illegal” modification to the engine, a detail that, in his opinion, “no one seems to have noticed”. His words, relaunched on X by thousands of fans, provoked a furious reaction from Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali, who responded with a dry warning: “Hey Rossi, come back to the WEC and race, never come back to MotoGP”. This fiery fraud has reignited old rivalries and raised questions about Rossi’s role in modern motorcycling.

The race in Qatar was dominated by Marc Márquez, who took victory with an unstoppable pace, leaving Alex two seconds behind and Francesco Bagnaia, a Rossi alumnus, in third place. The GP25, the evolution of the bike that triumphed in 2024, demonstrated overwhelming superiority, but Rossi, presenting a Lusail to support his VR46 team, suggested that Márquez’s success was the fruit of the highest caliber of talent and engineering. “What, no one noticed the difference on the engine? It’s illegal,” he said, according to sources close to the nine-time champion. His accusations, lacking specific details, immediately attracted the attention of the Race Direction, which began an analysis of the telemetry data, but found no evidence of irregularities at the time.

Domenicali’s response was not forthcoming. The Ducati CEO, known for not liking provocations, used X to issue his warning, suggesting that Rossi focus on his rider in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), who races with BMW, and to leave MotoGP on the road. “Valentino should think about his races, not about creating chaos here,” he added, according to rumors. The message is clear: Ducati does not tolerate interference, especially from someone like Rossi, who has a controversial past with the brand. His experience with Ducati in 2011-2012, marked by disappointing results, remains an open wound, and recent criticism of Márquez, who will race in the official team in 2025, seems to have rekindled old tensions.

The context makes the dispute even more heated. Rossi, who retired from MotoGP in 2021, has returned to the paddock in a mentoring role for the VR46 Academy riders, but his presence is often perceived as cumbersome. Márquez’s promotion to the Factory Team, at the expense of other talents such as Jorge Martín, had already irritated the “Doctor”, who has never hidden his disappointment. The engine complaints therefore seem like an attempt to put pressure on Ducati and Márquez, but the risk of a boomerang is high. On X, the fans are divided: Rossi’s supporters see him as a defender of transparency, while Márquez’s fans accuse him of wanting to sabotage his historic rival.

MotoGP, meanwhile, is preparing for an explosive stage. Bagnaia, after his third place in Qatar, is under pressure to defend his title, while Marquez, with a victory reminiscent of his golden days, sent a clear message: he is back to win. The GP25, praised for its advanced aerodynamics and tire management, is at the center of technical debate, but without concrete tests, Rossi’s criticisms risk remaining just words. Race Direction, led by Freddie Spencer, has promised rigorous control, but the time to find anomalies is limited.

Domenicali, for his part, seems determined to close the matter. Rossi’s quest to “return to the WEC” is not just a personal attack, but he invites us to respect the new balances of MotoGP, where Márquez and Bagnaia are the protagonists. Rossi, who in the WEC is chasing his dream of Le Mans with BMW, can ignore the provocation, but his combative character suggests that he will not rest in silence. In the meantime, the circus moves on to the next race, with Qatar having already demonstrated a truth: in MotoGP, battles are not only fought on the track. Rossi’s words and Domenicali’s reply have lit a fuse that could burn for the entire season, keeping the fans in suspense.