Aaratrika Gupta

Even before contemporary MotoGP battles such as Rossi vs. Lorenzo or Marquez vs. Rossi dominated the headlines, another bitter and personal rivalry between Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi took shape in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their rivalry was much more than the race tracks and world titles. It was a battle of personalities, national pride and generational change, as two Italians scrapped hard, not just over victories, but also to control the narrative of the sport. 

In the year 2007, Casey Stoner and Ducati Desmosedici GP07 shocked the world of MotoGP. An Australian of 21 years and an Italian manufacturer that had historically been shadowed by the Japanese giants dominated the season in a manner that was not expected by many.

On 25 June 2017, at the legendary TT Circuit Assen, Valentino Rossi delivered one of the most memorable performances of his later career, a masterclass of intelligence, courage, and grit under changing conditions.

MotoGP has seen several breakout stars during its storied tenure, and the 2025 season marked the rise of Fermin Aldeguer, who claimed his maiden MotoGP victory earlier this year. The Spaniard came off several Moto2 campaigns that were well pieced together, along the way.