Max Verstappen picks $25M MotoGP legend as his favorite rider

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen picked MotoGP legend Marc Marquez as his favorite rider in the category. The Dutchman and the Spaniard had started their ascent to the top of their respective categories at a similar time.

The 32-year-old caught everyone's attention in the two-wheel championship scene when he won the MotoGP championship in his rookie season in 2013 and went on to win every successive year until 2019. On the other hand, Verstappen made his debut on the F1 grid in 2015 and became the youngest driver to win a race in Spain in 2016, on his first race for Red Bull.

The two motorsport legends are also part of the Red Bull family given the importance of the energy drink brand in their careers. On his Twitch Livestream for Team Redline, Max Verstappen was recently asked about his favorite rider in MotoGP, to which the Dutch replied:

"Marquez."

Speaking with Speedweek ahead of the 2025 season, the four-time F1 world champion spoke about his interest in MotoGP and gave his take on Marc Marquez, who has a net worth of $25m (as per Celebrity Net Worth), switching teams from Honda to Ducati, saying:

“I am a big MotoGP fan and I try to watch every race. I always have my tablet with me on the track. Marc is a six-time MotoGP World Champion. Of course, you need some time to get used to a new team, but you can always learn a lot from your teammates. I am sure Marc will do a good job. He is the best on the grid.”

It has been a blistering start for Marquez with Ducati, with many believing that Max Verstappen would have to take the lead from the Spaniard and leave Red Bull to get further success.

Former Haas F1 team boss chimes in on Max Verstappen's potential options

Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes that he could see Max Verstappen joining Mercedes or Aston Martin given that McLaren and Ferrari had committed their future with their respective driver lineups.

While appearing on the Red Flags podcast, the Italian-American reflected on the 27-year-old's chances, saying:

“I don't think McLaren is an option for him. I think his option is Mercedes because Ferrari is not an option, so who else should take him? Aston could be [an option]. Newey is coming for the 2026 car, they could get it right. Honda? I don't know. Nobody really knows what it is. Aston could be an option and Mercedes. I don't think McLaren or Ferrari are options.”

The rumors of Max Verstappen's exit from Red Bull have not subsided, with several F1 personnel linking him to Mercedes at the end of the 2025 season due to the Austrian team's fledgling performance and internal power struggles.