Valentino Rossi reportedly views rising star Pedro Acosta as the best hope of stopping Marc Marquez from reaching a 10th world championship title, according to MotoGP insider Carlo Pernat.
Marquez, who currently leads the 2025 MotoGP standings by 68 points, is closing in on a seventh premier class title — which would equal Rossi’s total — and a ninth across all categories. A 10th title would surpass Rossi’s career tally, a milestone the Italian legend is keen to avoid.
Pernat revealed to Italian outlet MOW that Rossi believes Acosta could be the one to halt Marquez’s dominance:
“Vale can see in Pedro Acosta what Marc Marquez was for him — the young opponent who will prevent the great champion from reaching ten titles.”
However, there’s a catch. Acosta is currently under contract with KTM until the end of 2026, making any switch to Ducati — and by extension Rossi’s VR46-affiliated orbit — complicated.
“His contract is not exactly one of those very easy to break,” Pernat explained. “Pedro would certainly do anything for a Ducati, and Ducati and Rossi would welcome him with open arms.”
For now, Acosta remains with KTM, while Marquez looks increasingly unstoppable aboard the factory Ducati. With Rossi’s VR46 protege Francesco Bagnaia trailing 126 points behind in the standings, the next chapter of this rivalry may come down to future contracts and shifting allegiances.
