For fans in the 2000s, many people’s alligiances would sway with either Rossi or Marquez as the best MotoGP rider of all time.

But a former two-time champion, once with Ducati and once with Honda, Stoner has a different perspective to many and shared his thoughts in a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello sport.

Stoner competed against Rossi for his entire premier class career, and the Italian was the only rider on his list that he’s raced against.

The other three are legends in their own right but Stoner picked his fellow Australian because of the success he had both before and after his career-threatening injuries.

Stoner also spoke about the most underrated rider, which in his opinion was current KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa.

Stoner said: “For me, Giacomo [Agostini] and Mick [Doohan] without a doubt. He [Doohan] doesn’t get considered with some others because he didn’t win as many championships or races as the others, but nobody knows what it was like to come back from the injury. 

“The other riders that achieved more than him never had to deal with the injuries he did. I don’t believe anybody would have succeeded the way he did. 

“So Mick is at the top for me. From that, probably Valentino [Rossi], Marc [Marquez]. It’s difficult to say any others. 

“I think the most underachieving was Dani Pedrosa. When you get to ride with him and understand what he was able to do, as such a small guy, nobody can understand. 

“I was already too small for MotoGP. I was 59 kilos and I think Dani was 55/56. Everybody thinks being lighter was better but they are big, heavy, powerful bikes. 

“You are not so stable when you are small. For me, it was amazing what Dani was able to do. Racing with him my whole career, no one can understand how fast he was.”

Marquez is in his last race weekend as a Repsol Honda rider, ahead of switching to Gresini Ducati in the hope of becoming a MotoGP title contender in 2024. 

The eight-time world champion had been very quick over the course of Friday and Saturday at Valencia, and looks poised for a good result on his farewell weekend with the Japanese manufacturer. 

Speaking about Marquez’s decision to leave Honda to join a ‘private’ team, Agostini told MotoGP.com: “I think that Marc Marquez took a very difficult decision. To leave Honda, which is the biggest motorcycle company in racing and in the world, and to go to a private team; but I think he wants to win and the Ducati bike is a very good bike. 

“I think for him it is difficult now but with a bit of time to learn the bike I think he will come back like before.”

Despite being the highest paid rider at Honda, Marquez was willing to drop his salary quite considerably in order to look for the best chance at winning races. 

Asked what we can expect from Marquez and if he will be competitive with Ducati, Aogistini added: “I think so because I know him and he likes winning. Otherwise he would say ‘I don’t want to race’. 

“He wants to win or to try and win. This season he has had a good season with the bike he’s had, but with Ducati he has the possibility to win. I’m not sure about the championship but to win races.”

While Honda remains the most successful manufacturer in MotoGP, something that is not under threat for the time being, Agostini says having them back at the forefront of MotoGP is crucial to the show. 

“It’s incredible! Everyone is surprised by Honda because they are the biggest company in the world,” said Agostini. “It’s not only Marc but all the riders with Honda struggled to get good results. 

“I don’t know about Honda next year but we need them to come back because we don’t want one factory, we need a lot of factories. 

“I think he is leaving his love. He won a lot with Honda. Honda gave to him a lot of things and he gave Honda a lot.”

Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin are separated by just 14 points heading into the final two rounds.

Bagnaia, who outscored Martin by one point in Sepang, has been the leader for nearly the entire campaign.

Martin was briefly atop the world championship standings in Mandalika, however, a crash whilst leading the main race handed the advantage back to Bagnaia who went on to win. 

Bagnaia was the rider with the early season form despite a couple of crashes, however, since Catalunya Martin has been the best rider in MotoGP. 

It’s likely the title fight will go down to the final round in Valencia, but whatever happens over the next two rounds, the rider who keeps their calm will come out on top, according to legends of the past.

Speaking to MotoGP.com, Stoner admitted his mentality was to go one race at a time: “I always went race by race. I didn’t try to look too far into the distance because if you get caught looking too far ahead you don’t worry about what’s happening now.”

Agostini, who is the most successful rider ever in terms of championships won, was next to speak saying: “You have pressure the whole season and the people are waiting for the victory from you. 

“To win the world championship you must try every Grand Prix. You must have a good strategy, be very professional, set-up the bike perfectly – all of this can help you win.”

While a good strategy, being one of the fastest and knowing how to get the best out of themselves on a bad day is crucial to a successful title challenge, so is consistency.

That was one of the biggest strengths Mick Doohan had, with the Australian adding: “Consistency is the key. You have to work hard. You need commitment, dedication and the team; everything needs to fall into place. That’s why it is so difficult to win a championship.”

Agostini, who is the most successful Grand Prix racer of all-time, knows just how important a winning bike could be to Marquez after Honda’s struggles during the last three seasons.

Marquez is contracted to HRC until the end of next season which is in line with every factory rider except Franco Morbidelli, who’s contract at Yamaha runs out after the 2023 campaign.

That gives Marquez and Honda two seasons to return to the top before the pair could commit to one-another, however, should Honda’s recent struggles continue, then Agostini believes Marquez could look to change teams for the first time in his premier career, something Marquez has already alluded to himself.

“I think Marquez is a great, aggressive rider who never gives up. If Honda gives him the right bike, he could be the one to beat the Ducatis,” Agostini told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

“However, if Honda doesn’t give him a competitive bike… after falling in love you fall out of love and change your path.”

Agostini calls MotoGP champion Bagnaia the ‘opposite’ of mentor Valentino Rossi

The fourth different MotoGP champion in four years, Bagnaia’s 2022 campaign was arguably the most impressive of any champion since Marquez in 2019.

Sure, there were early season mistakes from the Italian, who looked to be out of the running heading into Assen. 

But after winning four Grand Prix’ on the trot, and five of the last ten, Bagnaia overturned a 91-point deficit to bring Ducati something only Casey Stoner was able to achieve previously.

“Bagnaia is someone I like,” continued Agostini. “He’s a bit between Valentino and me. Rossi was a very ‘showman’, a likeable and lively character. Pecco is the opposite. He’s calm and serious. 

“I am somewhere in between . We are a good trio, with our differences, but with the same passion.”

While Agostini believes Marquez could be one of the main challengers to Bagnaia in 2023, two other names arguably have more chance to fight the Italian due to their form in 2022 and better machinery at their disposal.

Fabio Quartararo is without doubt one of those riders, as is Enea Bastianini after the Italian moved from Gresini into the factory Ducati team alongside Bagnaia.

Bagnaia became the first Italian MotoGP champion since Valentino Rossi in 2009 at the Valencian Grand Prix on Sunday, while also becoming the first Italian to win on an Italian bike since Giacomo Agostini did so in 1972. 

Despite losing downforce aboard his GP22 machine following contact with title rival Fabio Quartararo that led to his front right winglet snapping off, Bagnaia managed to come across the line in tenth place at Valencia, while Quartararo, who needed to win in order to have any chance of retaining his crown was fourth. 

Although Bagnaia faced a different kind of pressure to that of Le Mans, Aragon, Misano and Sepang when he was trying to hold off Enea Bastianini for victory, the Ducati rider alluded to those previous experiences as reasons why he was able to remain calm during Sunday’s race, despite being overtaken by several riders.

Asked if he’s a rider that can handle pressure – something he buckled under at various points in the last two years – Bagnaia added: “I think that the race in Le Mans has helped me to understand that. Because in Le Mans I was riding under pressure from Enea and I committed big mistakes, going wide in turn seven; I don’t remember well the number of the corner. 

“This year I was always under a lot of pressure from behind. Enea was twice behind me and trying to overtake. 

“To manage the situation perfectly I was knowing that a second position was not allowed. I tried to improve myself on that and we did it. 

“It’s the worst situation possible when you have someone behind on the last-lap and you can’t commit any mistakes. It’s the situation where you can easily lose your concentration. But I think we worked well and also the ranch. 

“A win every Sunday at the ranch is very important. I never won at the ranch but every weekend I fight with other riders and we put a lot of pressure on us. This can help us.”

VR46 academy ‘incredible’, says MotoGP champion Bagnaia

Bagnaia has been part of Rossi’s VR46 academy since 2015 and along with Franco Morbidelli is the only rider to have won a world title while representing the brand. 

Speaking about the influence that the VR46 academy has had, Bagnaia credited the professionalism and dedication from those in charge to give all its world championship riders the best chance to succeed. 

“It’s not just [about] the influence of Valentino, but all the guys and all the people working for us at home,” stated Bagnaia. “At the start it was a totally different academy. It was a big help for sure, but at this moment we are very professional. 

“We have everything and we can say to them that we want to go with the mini bikes to a track and they have everything to do it. If we want to go to Portimao to have a test before the season, then they organise everything to do it. 

“It is incredible the help they are giving. They are giving all their life, their passion to us and this is incredible. This is the first title in MotoGP for the academy, it’s the third in general after Franky in Moto2 and me in Moto2. 

“But if we look at the performance of every rider in the academy – unfortunately in Moto3 and Moto2 we had a little problem, but if we analyse the performance in MotoGP then we can see that all the riders in the academy are incredible. 

“At home we push each other to improve ourselves. When I look at Franky in 2020 doing the runner-up in the championship with three wins, it was like a reference to me. 

“It was like something to beat. And this helped me a lot to improve myself. I want to say thank you to the academy.”

Rossi’s last MotoGP title came in 2009 when riding for Yamaha, but Bagnaia’s P9 finish in Valencia was enough for him to achieve something Rossi could not, which was to become the first Italian to win on an Italian machine since Giacomo Agostini managed to do so 50 years ago. 

A tough opening few laps which included contact with title rival Fabio Quartararo and a lost winglet, resulted in the Ducati rider lacking downforce for much of the Grand Prix.

But despite seeing several riders overtaking him, Bagnaia remained calm under intense pressure in order to win his first world title since 2018.

“I’m very happy, also on a day that was the worst race of the year, of the calendar, I had a special taste,” said Bagnaia.

“When I passed the finish line I just saw the pit board that said I was the world champion and from that moment everything was lighter, more nice and it was incredible. 

“My emotion is incredible at this moment. It wasn’t easy because in the fight with Fabio I lost a winglet and from that moment everything was a nightmare. 

“Lap by lap I was trying to ride a defensive line but it was very, very hard. It took so long to finish the race but I’m very proud of my team, myself and the work that we did which was incredible.”

Bagnaia delivers MotoGP title despite feeling the weight of Italy on his shoulders 

While delivering a world title for Ducati – the brand that gave him his chance in MotoGP was important to him – Bagnaia also stated he was riding with the weight of Italy on his shoulders.

Bagnaia said: “I was feeling this weight on my shoulders to give back this title to all my team, to the manufacturer, to Ducati, to Italy. 

“It wasn’t easy in that moment but then I spoke with Vale and he said ‘you have to be proud to have this possibility. Not everyone can have this possibility’. 

“It’s true that you can feel the pressure and feel fear, but you have to be proud to have it and to try and enjoy it. I tried to do it. 

“Today it didn’t work but sincerely I’m very happy. He is our mentor, our leader.”

Rossi’s last MotoGP title came in 2009 when riding for Yamaha, but Bagnaia’s P9 finish in Valencia was enough for him to achieve something Rossi could not, which was to become the first Italian to win on an Italian machine since Giacomo Agostini managed to do so 50 years ago. 

A tough opening few laps which included contact with title rival Fabio Quartararo and a lost winglet, resulted in the Ducati rider lacking downforce for much of the Grand Prix.

But despite seeing several riders overtaking him, Bagnaia remained calm under intense pressure in order to win his first world title since 2018.

“I’m very happy, also on a day that was the worst race of the year, of the calendar, I had a special taste,” said Bagnaia.

“When I passed the finish line I just saw the pit board that said I was the world champion and from that moment everything was lighter, more nice and it was incredible. 

“My emotion is incredible at this moment. It wasn’t easy because in the fight with Fabio I lost a winglet and from that moment everything was a nightmare. 

“Lap by lap I was trying to ride a defensive line but it was very, very hard. It took so long to finish the race but I’m very proud of my team, myself and the work that we did which was incredible.”

Bagnaia delivers MotoGP title despite feeling the weight of Italy on his shoulders 

While delivering a world title for Ducati – the brand that gave him his chance in MotoGP was important to him – Bagnaia also stated he was riding with the weight of Italy on his shoulders.

Bagnaia said: “I was feeling this weight on my shoulders to give back this title to all my team, to the manufacturer, to Ducati, to Italy. 

“It wasn’t easy in that moment but then I spoke with Vale and he said ‘you have to be proud to have this possibility. Not everyone can have this possibility’. 

“It’s true that you can feel the pressure and feel fear, but you have to be proud to have it and to try and enjoy it. I tried to do it. 

“Today it didn’t work but sincerely I’m very happy. He is our mentor, our leader.”