Another crash
Last season the drama even more as Marquez' race went from disaster on the grid to failing to score after three penalties and another clash with Rossi - this one seeing the 'Doctor' hit the deck - but there was another undeniable fact amongst the drama: the Repsol Honda rider's speed.
It was unmatchable, and after a similar showing in Qatar this year to that which greeted us in 2018, that could mean the ball will once again be in his court.
Lorenzo's charge
It's not just Marquez who has shown good pace at Termas de Rio Hondo for Honda, however. The aforementioned Pedrosa took some top results and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) took two podiums even before his stunning win in the chaos of the 2018 event.
That bodes well for both him and new arrival at Repsol Honda Jorge Lorenzo, himself a podium finisher at the track previously, as the number 99 battles to improve upon a tough season opener in Qatar after a huge highside left him bruised for race day.
Yamaha power
Yamaha will also be looking to improve upon Round 1 but their record in Argentina makes for good reading.
Rossi won that 2015 event, who could forget, and team-mate Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took victory in Argentina in 2017 as part of a triple threat of wins to begin the season. The Iwata marque will be hoping for more of that and less of the struggles they encountered last year.
Ducati dazzles
Meanwhile at Ducati, it was 25 points to begin the year in style for Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati Team) as the Italian once again outwitted Marquez at a final corner.
Last season it was a similar story in Round 1, but then it was two more difficult weekends for the Borgo Panigale factory rider. Will that remain true in 2019 and see ‘DesmoDovi' racing for damage limitation before we head into the meat of the season in Europe? Or was Qatar not quite the whole picture?