Max Biaggi

Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmaks ˈbjaddʒi]; born 26 June 1971)^[1][2] is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who achieved six World Championships. With four 250 cc road race titles and two in World Superbikes, he is one of only two riders to score championships across both disciplines.^[3]

Max Biaggi
Biaggi in 2007
Nationality	Italian
Born	(1971-06-26) 26 June 1971 (age 53) Rome, Italy
Website	max-biaggi.com
Motorcycle racing career statistics MotoGP World Championship Active years 1998–2005 Manufacturers Honda (1998, 2003–2005) Yamaha (1999–2002) Championships 0 2005 championship position 5th (173 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 127 13 58 23 14 1624 250cc World Championship Active years 1991–1997 Manufacturers Aprilia (1991–1992, 1994–1996) Honda (1993, 1997) Championships 4 (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997) 1997 championship position 1st (250 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 87 29 53 33 28 1268 Superbike World Championship Active years 2007–2012, 2015 Manufacturers Suzuki (2007) Ducati (2008) Aprilia (2009–2012, 2015) Championships 2 (2010, 2012) 2015 championship position 20th (36 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 159 21 71 5 18 2102

Biaggi is a brand ambassador for Aprilia motorcycles.^[4] Since 2019, he has owned a Moto3 racing team, based in Monaco.^[5][6]

In 2020, Biaggi was named a FIM Road Racing Legend,^[7] followed by inductance into the MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2022.^[3]

Career

Summarised race history

Biaggi is a 13-time Premier Class race winner. He is a 4-time 250 cc World Champion, 2-time World Superbike Champion and 3-time runner-up in the Premier Class in 1998, 2001 and 2002.

After winning 4 consecutive 250 cc titles in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 Biaggi moved to the 500 cc class in 1998 and immediately finished runner-up to Mick Doohan with 2 victories with Honda. This earned him a move to the Factory Yamaha Team in 1999. In his 4 seasons with Yamaha Biaggi collected 8 victories and finished runner-up to Valentino Rossi in 2001 and 2002. Then he moved to Camel Honda in 2003. But only managed third place in the championship in 2003 and 2004 beaten by not only Valentino Rossi but also Gresini Honda rider Sete Gibernau. A sole winless season followed in 2005 with Factory Honda Team and Biaggi was replaced by Dani Pedrosa for 2006 even though he got 4 podiums and a 5th place in the championship. This proved to be Biaggi's final season in MotoGP.

In 2007 Biaggi switched to the Superbike World Championship finishing third overall as a rookie and earned his first Superbike World Championship in 2010 becoming only the second European from outside the United Kingdom after Raymond Roche to do so.^[8] After winning a second Superbike World Championship in 2012 at the age of 41, Biaggi retired from racing. But he came back in 2015 in Malaysia as a wildcard to get a podium at the age of 44.

A consistent rider, In all of his 8 seasons with MotoGP/500 cc Biaggi finished inside the top 5 in the championship standings and 3 times as championship runner-up in 1998, 2001 and 2002. Winning a race for 7 consecutive seasons in the Premier Class from 1998 to 2004. Biaggi's 13 wins, 58 podiums and 23 Pole Positions in the Premier Class makes him one of the most accomplished riders to not win the MotoGP World Championship.

125cc World Championship

Biaggi was more interested in football as a child. But in 1989, after he was given a motorcycle for his seventeenth birthday, he began his racing career in the 125cc class at age eighteen. In 1990 he won the Italian Sport Production Championship. Following his success in 125cc, Biaggi moved up to the 250cc class.

250cc World Championship

In 1991, Biaggi finished second behind British rider Woolsey Coulter in the European 250cc championship on an Aprilia RS250, and that same year he finished twenty-seventh in the Grand Prix motorcycle 250cc world championship riding for the same manufacturer. In 1992, Biaggi completed his first entire season in 250cc Grand Prix for Aprilia, and finished the season fifth overall. In that same season he took his first victory in Kyalami, South Africa. The following season, Biaggi joined Honda, and finished fourth in the championship standings, including a single victory in Barcelona. In 1994 he returned to Aprilia and dominated the 250cc Grand Prix class by winning three consecutive world championships in 1994, 1995 and 1996. In 1997, Biaggi again returned to Honda, riding for Erv Kanemoto's team, and won his fourth consecutive title. Following that, he moved up to the 500cc class.

500cc World Championship

Biaggi made an impressive start in his 500cc debut, qualifying on pole, setting the fastest lap and winning his first race in the 1998 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix at Suzuka, riding for the Kanemoto Honda team. He was also victorious at the Czech Republic Grand Prix, where he almost crashed when he accidentally did a 90° wheelie,^[9] and finished the season in second place behind Mick Doohan. Biaggi then joined Yamaha to battle against the dominant Hondas. He finished fourth in 1999, third in 2000, and second in 2001.

MotoGP World Championship

Biaggi with Repsol Honda in 2005

In 2002, Biaggi rode the four-stroke for the first time as development on the new motorcycle remained strong throughout the season. He won in Brno, Czech Republic^[10] and Sepang, Malaysia^[11] to clinch runner-up in the championship behind rival Valentino Rossi. In 2003, Biaggi finished third in the MotoGP championship after rejoining Honda on the Camel Pramac Pons team and won races in Pacific Grand Prix^[12] and Great Britain after Rossi penalised.^[13] It was expected that Biaggi would be one of the main candidates for the title in 2004. He won in Germany^[14] but a crash in Estoril saw his season begin to fade.^[15] At the end of the 2004 MotoGP season Biaggi finished the championship in third place, behind Sete Gibernau and series winner, Rossi.

Biaggi started the 2005 MotoGP season as an official factory Honda rider, joining American racer Nicky Hayden on the Repsol Honda Team with technical director Erv Kanemoto. It was hoped that continued cooperation with Kanemoto and the full factory support from Honda would make Biaggi one of the main title contenders in 2005. However, Biaggi finished the season in only fifth place.

Biaggi lost his ride for the 2006 season, his position filled by 2005 250cc Grand Prix champion, Dani Pedrosa. He negotiated with Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki, however, was unable to land a contract even with the backing of major tobacco sponsor Camel who ended up signing up to be the factory Yamaha squad's title sponsor for 2006. On 10 January 2006, Biaggi posted on his website that he would not take part in the 2006 MotoGP season.

Superbike World Championship

Biaggi at WK SBK Assen 2007

Biaggi attempted to reach an agreement to race the Superbike World Championship for Corona Alstare Suzuki in 2006, but the team could not commit to equal equipment with their existing riders, 2005 champion Troy Corser and Yukio Kagayama. As a result, he took a sabbatical, but on 14 September 2006 Biaggi announced he had signed to replace Corser in the team for 2007.

Biaggi began the season by winning the first race at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar and finishing second in race two. In doing so Max Biaggi became one of only five men to win their first Superbike World Championship race, and the only rider ever to win his first Superbike race and his first race in 500cc Grand Prix. He then finished 3rd and 4th at Phillip Island, Australia.

After a hard championship Biaggi finished third, behind World Champion James Toseland and Yamaha top rider Noriyuki Haga.

At the end of the season, Francis Batta, Alstare Suzuki Racing Team director, was forced to release Biaggi, due to the loss of the main sponsor Corona Extra, as they could not reach financial agreement. Furthermore, Suzuki decided to stop official Superbike development for 2008, instead focusing on the MotoGP championship. For 2008 Biaggi replaced team manager Marco Borciani as a rider at his Team Sterilgarda/Go Eleven, riding a satellite-works Ducati 1098RS alongside Ruben Xaus.^[16] He finished seventh overall with seven podiums, three places ahead of Xaus and one ahead of factory Ducati rider Michel Fabrizio.

For 2009 he joined the returning factory Aprilia team. He took a double podium in round 2 at Qatar, and scored solid points before taking their first win since the return at Brno, after race leaders Fabrizio and Ben Spies collided. He finished a close second behind Spies in race two there, and finished the season 4th overall.

Biaggi riding the RSV4 in 2011

Biaggi continued with Aprilia for 2010, taking a double victory at the team's home race at Monza to move up to second in the standings. Another double in the USA gave him first place in the championship, after previous leader Leon Haslam failed to finish in race 2.^[17]

In August 2010, Biaggi signed a renewed, two-year contract with Aprilia to remain with the team in World Superbikes until 2012.^[18]

In 2010, Biaggi became Aprilia's and Italy's first Superbike World Champion.^[8]

2011 was a year of mixed results for Biaggi and Aprilia. He only managed 2 wins at Aragon, Spain and Brno, Czech Republic. Even though he was in contention for the title due to multiple second-place finishes, Biaggi fractured his left foot in Germany which caused him to miss 2 rounds: Imola and Magny Cours.^[19] Biaggi ended the 2011 season in third place (303 points) and tied in points with Eugene Laverty.^[20] Biaggi would go on to win the 2012 title by only a half point over Tom Sykes. Following the season, Biaggi retired from racing. Three years later, Biaggi would briefly return to racing as a wildcard for Aprilia.^[21]

Personal life

Biaggi is known as the 'Roman Emperor' and 'Mad Max' and is notorious for his difficult relationships with the press, team personnel and other riders.^{[22][23][24][25]}

He was engaged to Miss Italia 2002 winner and TV personality Eleonora Pedron; together they have a daughter and a son.^[26] They split in September 2015.^[27]

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

All stats according to MotoGP.com^[28]

Season	Class	Motorcycle	Team	Race	Win	Podium	Pole	FLap	Pts	Plcd
1991	250cc	Aprilia RSV250		4	0	0	0	0	7	27th
1992	250cc	Aprilia RSV250	Telkor Valesi Racing	12	1	5	4	1	78	5th
1993	250cc	Honda NSR250	Rothmans Kanemoto	14	1	5	2	1	142	4th
1994	250cc	Aprilia RSV250	Chesterfield Aprilia	14	5	10	7	8	234	1st
1995	250cc	Aprilia RSV250	Chesterfield Aprilia	13	8	12	9	7	283	1st
1996	250cc	Aprilia RSV250	Chesterfield Aprilia	15	9	11	8	9	274	1st
1997	250cc	Honda NSR250	Marlboro Kanemoto	15	5	10	3	2	250	1st
1998	500cc	Honda NSR500	Marlboro Kanemoto	14	2	8	2	2	208	2nd
1999	500cc	Yamaha YZR500	Marlboro Yamaha	16	1	7	1	1	194	4th
2000	500cc	Yamaha YZR500	Marlboro Yamaha	16	2	4	5	3	170	3rd
2001	500cc	Yamaha YZR500	Marlboro Yamaha	16	3	9	7	2	219	2nd
2002	MotoGP	Yamaha YZR-M1	Marlboro Yamaha	16	2	8	4	1	215	2nd
2003	MotoGP	Honda RC211V	Camel Pramac Pons	16	2	9	3	1	228	3rd
2004	MotoGP	Honda RC211V	Camel Honda	16	1	9	1	3	217	3rd
2005	MotoGP	Honda RC211V	Repsol Honda	17	0	4	0	1	173	5th
Total				214	42	111	56	42	2892

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Class	Bike	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Pos	Pts
1991	250cc	Aprilia	JPN	AUS	USA	SPA	ITA	GER	AUT	EUR Ret	NED	FRA 13	GBR Ret	RSM 12	CZE	VDM	MAL			27th	7
1992	250cc	Aprilia	JPN Ret	AUS 8	MAL Ret	SPA 10	ITA 3	EUR 3	GER 2	NED Ret	HUN Ret	FRA DNS	GBR Ret	BRA 2	RSA 1					5th	78
1993	250cc	Honda	AUS 3	MAL 17	JPN Ret	SPA 2	AUT 5	GER 4	NED Ret	EUR 1	RSM 5	GBR 6	CZE 2	ITA Ret	USA Ret	FIM 3				4th	142
1994	250cc	Aprilia	AUS 1	MAL 1	JPN 4	SPA Ret	AUT 2	GER 2	NED 1	ITA Ret	FRA 3	GBR Ret	CZE 1	USA 2	ARG 2	EUR 1				1st	234
1995	250cc	Aprilia	AUS 3	MAL 1	JPN 9	SPA 2	GER 1	ITA 1	NED 1	FRA 2	GBR 1	CZE 1	BRA 2	ARG 1	EUR 1					1st	283
1996	250cc	Aprilia	MAL 1	INA 2	JPN 1	SPA 1	ITA 1	FRA 1	NED 3	GER 4	GBR 1	AUT Ret	CZE 1	IMO Ret	CAT 1	BRA Ret	AUS 1			1st	274
1997	250cc	Honda	MAL 1	JPN 7	SPA 3	ITA 1	AUT 3	FRA 2	NED DSQ	IMO 1	GER 4	BRA 5	GBR Ret	CZE 1	CAT 2	INA 1	AUS 2			1st	250
1998	500cc	Honda	JPN 1	MAL 3	SPA 3	ITA 2	FRA 5	MAD 6	NED 2	GBR 6	GER 2	CZE 1	IMO 3	CAT DSQ	AUS 8	ARG 5				2nd	208
1999	500cc	Yamaha	MAL Ret	JPN 9	SPA 2	FRA Ret	ITA 2	CAT Ret	NED 5	GBR 4	GER Ret	CZE 4	IMO 3	VAL 7	AUS 2	RSA 1	BRA 2	ARG 2		4th	194
2000	500cc	Yamaha	RSA Ret	MAL 4	JPN Ret	SPA Ret	FRA Ret	ITA 9	CAT 5	NED 4	GBR 9	GER 4	CZE 1	POR 4	VAL 3	BRA 5	PAC 3	AUS 1		3rd	170
2001	500cc	Yamaha	JPN 3	RSA 8	SPA 11	FRA 1	ITA 3	CAT 2	NED 1	GBR 2	GER 1	CZE 10	POR 5	VAL 10	PAC Ret	AUS 2	MAL Ret	BRA 3		2nd	219
2002	MotoGP	Yamaha	JPN Ret	RSA 9	SPA DSQ	FRA 3	ITA 2	CAT 4	NED 4	GBR 2	GER 2	CZE 1	POR 6	BRA 2	PAC Ret	MAL 1	AUS 6	VAL 3		2nd	215
2003	MotoGP	Honda	JPN 2	RSA 3	SPA 2	FRA 5	ITA 3	CAT 14	NED 2	GBR 1	GER Ret	CZE 5	POR 2	BRA 4	PAC 1	MAL 3	AUS 17	VAL 4		3rd	228
2004	MotoGP	Honda	RSA 2	SPA 2	FRA 3	ITA 3	CAT 8	NED 4	BRA 2	GER 1	GBR 12	CZE 3	POR Ret	JPN Ret	QAT 6	MAL 2	AUS 7	VAL 2		3rd	217
2005	MotoGP	Honda	SPA 7	POR 3	CHN 5	FRA 5	ITA 2	CAT 6	NED 6	USA 4	GBR Ret	GER 4	CZE 3	JPN 2	MAL 6	QAT Ret	AUS Ret	TUR 12	VAL 6	5th	173

Superbike World Championship

By season

Season	Class	Motorcycle	Team	Race	Win	Podium	Pole	FLap	Pts	Plcd
2007	SBK	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Alstare Suzuki	25	3	17	0	5	397	3rd
2008	SBK	Ducati 1098 RS	Sterilgarda Go Eleven	28	0	7	0	1	238	7th
2009	SBK	Aprilia RSV4	Aprilia Racing	28	1	9	0	1	319	4th
2010	SBK	Aprilia RSV4	Aprilia Alitalia Racing	26	10	14	4	2	451	1st
2011	SBK	Aprilia RSV4	Aprilia Alitalia Racing	21	2	12	4	5	303	3rd
2012	SBK	Aprilia RSV4	Aprilia Racing	27	5	11	2	5	358	1st
2015	SBK	Aprilia RSV4	Aprilia Racing	4	0	1	0	0	36	20th
Total				157	21	71	10	19	2102

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Bike	1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		12		13		14		Pos	Pts
		R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
2007	Suzuki	QAT 1	QAT 2	AUS 3	AUS 4	EUR 3	EUR 2	SPA 8	SPA 2	NED 6	NED 3	ITA 3	ITA 5	GBR 6	GBR C	SMR Ret	SMR 3	CZE 2	CZE 1	GBR 3	GBR 8	GER 2	GER 3	ITA 1	ITA 2	FRA 6	FRA 2			3rd	397
2008	Ducati	QAT 2	QAT 3	AUS Ret	AUS Ret	SPA 16	SPA 8	NED 10	NED 12	ITA 5	ITA Ret	USA 9	USA 4	GER 13	GER 7	SMR Ret	SMR 2	CZE 4	CZE 3	GBR 3	GBR 12	EUR 3	EUR 6	ITA 2	ITA Ret	FRA 4	FRA 6	POR Ret	POR 13	7th	238
2009	Aprilia	AUS 11	AUS 15	QAT 3	QAT 3	SPA 8	SPA 8	NED 5	NED Ret	ITA 11	ITA 5	RSA 5	RSA 5	USA 6	USA 4	SMR 13	SMR 10	GBR 2	GBR 21	CZE 1	CZE 2	GER 5	GER 4	ITA 2	ITA 4	FRA 3	FRA 2	POR 3	POR 6	4th	319
2010	Aprilia	AUS 5	AUS 8	POR 1	POR 1	SPA 2	SPA 3	NED 6	NED 4	ITA 1	ITA 1	RSA 4	RSA 3	USA 1	USA 1	SMR 1	SMR 1	CZE 2	CZE 1	GBR 5	GBR 6	GER 4	GER 5	ITA 11	ITA 5	FRA 4	FRA 1			1st	451
2011	Aprilia	AUS 2	AUS 2	EUR 7	EUR DSQ	NED 2	NED 2	ITA 2	ITA 8	USA Ret	USA 3	SMR 2	SMR 2	SPA 2	SPA 1	CZE 2	CZE 1	GBR 11	GBR 4	GER DNS	GER DNS	ITA	ITA	FRA	FRA	POR 4	POR 7			3rd	303
2012	Aprilia	AUS 1	AUS 2	ITA 4	ITA 4	NED 4	NED 8	ITA C	ITA 5	EUR 5	EUR 2	USA 3	USA 3	SMR 1	SMR 1	SPA 1	SPA 4	CZE 6	CZE 4	GBR Ret	GBR 11	RUS 3	RUS Ret	GER 1	GER 13	POR 4	POR 3	FRA Ret	FRA 5	1st	358
2015	Aprilia	AUS	AUS	THA	THA	SPA	SPA	NED	NED	ITA	ITA	GBR	GBR	POR	POR	SMR 6	SMR 6	USA	USA	MAL 3	MAL Ret	SPA	SPA	FRA	FRA	QAT	QAT			20th	36

References

1. Max Biaggi at IMDb
2. "Max Biaggi Biography", Motorbike Sport, 5 January 2009, retrieved 25 June 2010
3. MotoGP: Max Biaggi inducted into the Hall of Fame at Mugello Motorcycle News, 27 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022
4. Max Biaggi becomes global ambassador for Aprilia worldsbk.com, 3 August 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2022
5. Max Racing Team Homepage. Retrieved 28 May 2022
6. Sterilgarda Max Racing Team present 2019 bike motogp.com, 25 February 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2022
7. "FIM Awards". fim-awards.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
8. "Max the first Italian WSBK Champ".
9. "Max Biaggi - Best Wheelie save ever - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
10. "Biaggi victorious as Rossi gets tyred". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. 25 August 2002. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
11. "Magnificent Max defeats RCV's at Malaysia". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. 13 October 2002. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
12. "Biaggi reigns after Motegi mayhem". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. 5 October 2003. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
13. "Biaggi takes win after Rossi penalised". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. 13 July 2003. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
14. "Biaggi beats Barros for German GP victory". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. 18 July 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
15. "Rossi takes clinical Estoril victory". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. 5 September 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
16. "Biaggi Signs With Sterilgarda Ducati WSBK!". SuperbikePlanet.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2007.
17. Biaggi savours ‘perfect result’ on home soil
18. "Biaggi signs with Aprilia until 2012". Insidebikes. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
19. "Max Biaggi 2011-2012 Racing Results". GrandPrixRankings.com. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
20. "2011 WorldSBK World Championship Standings". GrandPrixRankings.com. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
21. Guidotti, Maria (19 June 2015). "CW INTERVIEW: MAX BIAGGI". cycleworld.com. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
22. "Max Biaggi Bio", MotorcycleUSA, 21 January 2008, archived from the original on 19 June 2010, retrieved 25 June 2010
23. Macauley, Ted (26 June 2001), "Motorcycling: Italian pair take rivalry to the Max", Daily Mirror, London, p. 3, ProQuest 338633065^{[permanent dead link]}
24. Alonso, Ivan (31 October 2001), "Rossi takes ninth victory of the season in Valencia", Motorsport.com, archived from the original on 7 June 2011, retrieved 25 June 2010
25. Every, Rob (25 February 2007), "WSBK: Roman Emperor Max Biaggi has landed!", Motorcycle Racing Online, retrieved 25 June 2010
26. "Congratulations to Max Biaggi!". Archived from the original on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
27. "Biaggi-Pedron, è rottura. Max: "Fa male dirlo, è finita"". La Gazzetta Dello Sport - Tutto Il Rosa della Vita.
28. "Max Biaggi". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 11 November 2008.

External links

• Max Biaggi at DriverDB.com
• Max Biaggi at MotoGP.com
• Max Biaggi at WorldSBK.com
• Max Biaggi at the CONI honored athlete website (in Italian)
• Official website