Fireworks in Austin? These 2 MotoGP stars don't like each other

As the world’s premier motorcycle circuit gears up for its Austin stop this week, the buzz is the simmering feud between the young King of COTA and the legendary veteran known as The Doctor.

Marc Marquez, the 25-year-old Spaniard, carries a spotless record at Circuit of the Americas — five races, five victories. He wears the title belt until proven otherwise.

Valentino Rossi, the 39-year-old Italian with nine Grand Prix championships, reached the podium in the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas two of the past three years.

Practice sessions at COTA will be on Friday, ahead of qualifying on Saturday. Races for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 are all on Sunday. There is a chance of rain for Saturday’s qualifying rounds.

From time to time, Marquez and Rossi have clashed, and Rossi reignited the rivalry after their latest scuffle in Argentina, charging that the Honda rider has “destroyed” the sport.

Marquez was penalized multiple times for “irresponsible riding,” including squeezing Rossi’s Yamaha onto the wet grass, leaving him little chance of recovery.

“This is a very bad situation, because he destroyed our sport, because he doesn’t have any respect for his rivals. Never,” Rossi told reporters after the race.

“You can make a mistake in braking; you can touch the other guy; this happens; this is racing. But from Friday morning, he did this with (Maverick) Vinales, (Andrea) Dovizioso. He did this with me on Saturday morning, and in the race he went straight to four riders, because he does this purposely.

“These were not mistakes … because he knows he doesn’t crash but you crash. He hopes that you crash. So if you start to play like this, you raise the level to a very dangerous point, because if all the riders race like this, without any respect for rivals, this is a very dangerous sport, and it will finish in a bad way.”

Marquez, a four-time series champion, took a certain level of accountability and also blamed a wet track for losing control a few times.

“What happened to Valentino was a mistake, a consequence of the track conditions because I locked the front,” he told reporters. “One line was dry, but I was on a wet patch. OK, I had the contact. I tried to turn, and then when I saw he crashed, I was sorry.

“It was a tricky Sunday on the track. I didn’t make anything crazy.”

These two have a history dating back to the 2015 season when Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo were battling for the title. In the next-to-last event in Malaysia, Rossi was penalized for crashing out Marquez after the Italian had accused the Spaniard of blatantly aiding Lorenzo, Marquez’s teammate. Lorenzo did win that title, his third.

Now it’s reached the point where Rossi said he’s fearful of what might happen in a sport with straightaway speeds beyond 200 mph.

“I’m scared on the track when I am with Marquez,” he said. “You have to hope you don’t crash.”

RED BULL GRAND PRIX OF THE AMERICAS

What: World’s premier motorcycle series

When: Friday-Sunday

Where: Circuit of the Americas

Tickets: Single-day tickets, $39-$109; three-day general admission, $99; three-day main grandstand seat, $149 and up; three-day flex pass, $199 and up

Note: Kids 12 and younger admitted free with a ticketed adult.

It’s a festival: Throughout the weekend, musical acts will be playing at the grand plaza, the support paddock, the Ducati’s Island stage and the paddock lounge.

Friday schedule

9 a.m.-12:40 p.m. — First practice sessions in all classes

1:10-4:45 p.m. — Second practice sessions in all classes

5-5:15 p.m. — MotoAmerica Superbike pole

6:40-7:30 p.m. — MotoGP rider autograph sessions

Saturday schedule

9-11:40 a.m. — Third practice sessions for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3

12:35-1:15 p.m. — Moto3 qualifying

12:45-1:15 p.m. — MotoAmerica autograph session

1:30-2 p.m. — Fourth practice session for MotoGP

2:10-2:50 p.m. — MotoGP qualifying 1 and 2

3:05-3:50 p.m. — Moto2 qualifying