Max Biaggi

Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi (; born 26 June 1971) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix and Superbike 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. Between 2019 and 2022, he owned a Moto3 racing team, based in Monaco.

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

Career Summarised race history Biaggi is a 13-time Premier Class race winner. He is a four-time 250 cc World Champion, two-time World Superbike Champion and three-time runner-up in the Premier Class in , and .

After winning four consecutive 250 cc titles in , , and , Biaggi moved to the 500 cc class in and immediately finished runner-up to Mick Doohan with two victories with private Honda. This earned him a move to the Factory Yamaha Team in . In his four seasons with Yamaha, Biaggi collected eight victories and finished runner-up to Valentino Rossi in and . Then he moved to Camel Honda in . But only managed third place in the championship in and beaten by not only Valentino Rossi but also Gresini Honda rider Sete Gibernau. A sole winless season followed in with Factory Honda Team and Biaggi was replaced by Dani Pedrosa for even though he got four podiums and a fifth 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. After winning a second World Superbike Championship title in 2012 at the age of 41, becoming the oldest champion in the series’ history—Biaggi retired from racing.

A consistent rider, in all of his eight seasons with MotoGP/500 cc, Biaggi finished inside the top-five in the championship standings and three times as championship runner-up in , and . Winning a race for seven 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.

Beginnings As a child, Biaggi showed a greater interest in football than in motorcycling. However, in 1989, after his first motorbike experience, he began to focus on racing. He made his competitive debut at the age of eighteen in the 125cc class. In 1990, he won the Italian Sport Production Championship. Biaggi progressed to the 250cc class and entered international competition. In 1991, riding an Aprilia RS250, he won the European 250cc Championship. During the same season, he also participated in four races of the 250cc World Championship as a wildcard entrant, scoring points in the two races he completed.

Biaggi’s path to the world championship was atypical, as he entered competitive motorcycle racing relatively late and without a family background in the sport, having been raised solely by his father. By contrast, his rival Valentino Rossi was introduced to motorsport in pre-school childhood as the son of former Grand Prix rider Graziano Rossi and progressed to Grand Prix racing at a much younger age.

250cc World Championship In 1992, Biaggi completed his first full season in the 250 cc Grand Prix class with Aprilia, finishing fifth overall and taking his maiden Grand Prix victory in the last race of the season held at Kyalami, South Africa. In 1993, he joined Honda and finished fourth in the championship standings, including a single race win at the European motorcycle Grand Prix held in Barcelona.

Returning to Aprilia in 1994, Biaggi dominated the 250 cc class, winning three consecutive world championships in 1994, 1995, and 1996. During this period, his black Chesterfield-liveried Aprilia became one of the most recognisable motorcycles of the 1990s Grand Prix era. For the 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, Biaggi made an unusual move by leaving the championship-winning Aprilia team to return to Honda, riding for Erv Kanemoto’s squad, and secured his fourth consecutive 250 cc world title.

With four titles, Biaggi became the joint most successful rider in the history of the 250 cc World Championship, sharing the record with Phil Read. Biaggi’s prolonged stay outside the premier class reflected the looser hierarchy of Grand Prix racing prior to the introduction of the MotoGP era in 2002, when long-term careers in lower categories were still considered legitimate, as exemplified by MotoGP legend Ángel Nieto, a 13-time world champion in the 50 cc and 125 cc classes.

Following his fourth title, Biaggi moved up to the 500 cc 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 private Kanemoto Honda team. He was also victorious at the Czech Republic Grand Prix, where he almost crashed when he did a 90° wheelie. With three races remaining in the season, Biaggi was leading the championship when he crossed the finish line first at the 1998 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix. During the race, he was controversially given a stop-and-go penalty for an alleged yellow-flag infringement, which he did not serve, disputing the decision. Race control subsequently displayed the black flag, and Biaggi was disqualified despite finishing first.

The incident proved decisive for the title outcome, which was ultimately won by Mick Doohan on a factory Honda. Biaggi finished second overall and, following disputes over unequal machinery (Doohan’s Screamer versus Biaggi’s Big Bang). He ultimately finished second in the championship.

MotoGP World Championship

In the 2002 MotoGP World Championship, Max Biaggi competed for Yamaha during the inaugural four-stroke MotoGP season. Yamaha’s motorcycle proved significantly less competitive than Honda’s in the early part of the year, and across the first eight races Biaggi failed to secure a victory, falling 106 points behind championship leader Valentino Rossi. During this phase of the season, Yamaha’s engine operated with a reduced displacement of 942 cc. Continued development later in the year, including progression to the full 990 cc regulatory limit, resulted in a marked improvement in performance: He finished third in the championship standings in both seasons he spent in the team, securing two victories in 2003 at the Great Britain and in Pacific Grand Prix, the former following a penalty imposed on Rossi) and one in 2004. Despite fewer wins, Biaggi was considered more competitive in 2004; following his victory at Sachsenring, he trailed eventual champion Rossi by just one point at mid-season, before a crash at Estoril curtailed his title challenge.

For the 2005 MotoGP World Championship, Biaggi joined the Repsol Honda Team as a factory rider alongside Nicky Hayden, working again with technical director Erv Kanemoto. Expectations were high, but the season proved disappointing: Biaggi finished fifth overall, recording his first premier-class campaign without a race victory. With four races remaining he was second in the standings, but retirements and lower finishes cost him ground, amid increasingly strained team relations.

Biaggi lost his ride for the 2006 season, with his position filled by reigning 250 cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa. He subsequently entered negotiations with Honda, Kawasaki, and other teams, but was ultimately unable to secure a contract, despite the backing of major tobacco sponsor Camel. It was reported at the time that Honda opposed Biaggi continuing in MotoGP even with a satellite team; consequently, the Honda Pons team withdrew from the championship, and Honda effectively prevented Biaggi from competing. As a result, Biaggi announced that he would not take part in the 2006 MotoGP season.

Superbike World Championship

After failing to secure a last-minute deal with Corona Alstare Suzuki for 2006, Max Biaggi took a sabbatical before signing with the team for the 2007 World Superbike season, replacing Troy Corser. He made an immediate impact by winning his Superbike debut at Losail, becoming the only rider to win on debut in both Superbike and 500cc Grand Prix racing. Biaggi finished the season third overall. Attempts to return to MotoGP for 2008 were blocked by a Honda veto, and he instead raced for Team Sterilgarda/Go Eleven on a satellite Ducati These aren't the droids you're looking for..., finishing seventh without a single win.

The breakthrough came in 2010, when Biaggi claimed Aprilia’s and Italy’s first Superbike World Championship title. In 2011, he remained a title contender despite limited wins, but a foot injury caused him to miss two rounds and he finished third. He reclaimed the championship in 2012 by a narrow margin over Tom Sykes, after which he retired from full-time competition.

Following his retirement, Biaggi completed a MotoGP test with Ducati in 2013 and made a brief competitive return in 2015 as a wildcard for Aprilia, securing a podium finish and becoming the oldest rider to stand on a Superbike World Championship podium.

Personal life and rivalries 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.

Biaggi’s combative personality was evident in his rivalry with Mick Doohan during the 1998 500cc season. As a leading title contender, Biaggi engaged in a series of public disputes with the reigning champion, particularly around the controversial Catalan Grand Prix, where tensions escalated following Biaggi’s penalty and subsequent disqualification. The episode intensified personal animosity between the two and underscored the fractious nature of Biaggi’s relationships with fellow riders.

Max Biaggi is also widely known for his intense rivalry with Valentino Rossi. Between 2000 and 2005, when the two regularly competed against each other, Biaggi finished behind Rossi in the championship standings in every season, a statistic frequently cited in assessments of their rivalry.

However, this period was also marked by significant contextual differences in machinery and team status. During the 500 cc era, Yamaha was generally regarded as less competitive than Honda, with the disparity being particularly pronounced in 2002. In 2003, Biaggi competed on a satellite Honda, while Rossi rode the factory-supported machine. In 2004, Rossi made a high-profile move from Honda to Yamaha and won the championship, an achievement widely interpreted as confirming his superiority. However, it has also been noted that Rossi transferred key personnel from Honda to Yamaha, including crew chief Jeremy Burgess, strengthening Yamaha’s programme while simultaneously weakening Honda’s.

Moreover, Biaggi remained on a satellite team throughout this period, switching to a factory Honda only in 2005, by which time he was already 34 years old. In the MotoGP era, championship success beyond the age of 30 has been extremely rare. Apart from Rossi, who won his final premier-class title at the age of 30 in 2009, only Marc Márquez has managed to win a MotoGP championship after turning 30, doing so at the age of 32.

Their rivalry produced several notable on-track contests across multiple seasons. In 2001, they were involved in significant battles at the Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix and the Dutch TT, as well as in a closely contested race at Phillip Island. The rivalry resumed in later years with further encounters at Welkom and Sachsenring in 2004, followed by another prominent duel at the Mugello Circuit in 2005.

During his rivalry with Valentino Rossi, Biaggi was frequently subjected to harsh and often partisan media coverage, particularly in the Italian press. Television interviews and post-race commentary regularly adopted a confrontational tone towards him, while comparable performances by favoured riders were framed more leniently. In retrospect, this treatment has been widely criticised as narrative-driven and unbalanced.

Biaggi was engaged to Miss Italia 2002 winner and TV personality Eleonora Pedron; together they have a daughter and a son. They split in September 2015.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season All stats according to MotoGP.com

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 EURRet NED FRA13 GBRRet RSM12 CZE VDM MAL 27th 7 1992 250cc Aprilia JPNRet AUS8 MALRet SPA10 ITA3 EUR3 GER2 NEDRet HUNRet FRADNS GBRRet BRA2 RSA1 5th 78 1993 250cc Honda AUS3 MAL17 JPNRet SPA2 AUT5 GER4 NEDRet EUR1 RSM5 GBR6 CZE2 ITARet USARet FIM3 4th 142 1994 250cc Aprilia AUS1 MAL1 JPN4 SPARet AUT2 GER2 NED1 ITARet FRA3 GBRRet CZE1 USA2 ARG2 EUR1 1st 234 1995 250cc Aprilia AUS3 MAL1 JPN9 SPA2 GER1 ITA1 NED1 FRA2 GBR1 CZE1 BRA2 ARG1 EUR1 1st 283 1996 250cc Aprilia MAL1 INA2 JPN1 SPA1 ITA1 FRA1 NED3 GER4 GBR1 AUTRet CZE1 IMORet CAT1 BRARet AUS1 1st 274 1997 250cc Honda MAL1 JPN7 SPA3 ITA1 AUT3 FRA2 NEDDSQ IMO1 GER4 BRA5 GBRRet CZE1 CAT2 INA1 AUS2 1st 250 1998 500cc Honda JPN1 MAL3 SPA3 ITA2 FRA5 MAD6 NED2 GBR6 GER2 CZE1 IMO3 CATDSQ AUS8 ARG5 2nd 208 1999 500cc Yamaha MALRet JPN9 SPA2 FRARet ITA2 CATRet NED5 GBR4 GERRet CZE4 IMO3 VAL7 AUS2 RSA1 BRA2 ARG2 4th 194 2000 500cc Yamaha RSARet MAL4 JPNRet SPARet FRARet ITA9 CAT5 NED4 GBR9 GER4 CZE1 POR4 VAL3 BRA5 PAC3 AUS1 3rd 170 2001 500cc Yamaha JPN3 RSA8 SPA11 FRA1 ITA3 CAT2 NED1 GBR2 GER1 CZE10 POR5 VAL10 PACRet AUS2 MALRet BRA3 2nd 219 2002 MotoGP Yamaha JPNRet RSA9 SPADSQ FRA3 ITA2 CAT4 NED4 GBR2 GER2 CZE1 POR6 BRA2 PACRet MAL1 AUS6 VAL3 2nd 215 2003 MotoGP Honda JPN2 RSA3 SPA2 FRA5 ITA3 CAT14 NED2 GBR1 GERRet CZE5 POR2 BRA4 PAC1 MAL3 AUS17 VAL4 3rd 228 2004 MotoGP Honda RSA2 SPA2 FRA3 ITA3 CAT8 NED4 BRA2 GER1 GBR12 CZE3 PORRet JPNRet QAT6 MAL2 AUS7 VAL2 3rd 217 2005 MotoGP Honda SPA7 POR3 CHN5 FRA5 ITA2 CAT6 NED6 USA4 GBRRet GER4 CZE3 JPN2 MAL6 QATRet AUSRet TUR12 VAL6 5th 173

Superbike World Championship

By season SeasonClassMotorcycleTeamRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcd 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 QAT1 QAT2 AUS3 AUS4 EUR3 EUR2 SPA8 SPA2 NED6 NED3 ITA3 ITA5 GBR6 GBRC SMRRet SMR3 CZE2 CZE1 GBR3 GBR8 GER2 GER3 ITA1 ITA2 FRA6 FRA2 3rd 397 2008 Ducati QAT2 QAT3 AUSRet AUSRet SPA16 SPA8 NED10 NED12 ITA5 ITARet USA9 USA4 GER13 GER7 SMRRet SMR2 CZE4 CZE3 GBR3 GBR12 EUR3 EUR6 ITA2 ITARet FRA4 FRA6 PORRet POR13 7th 238 2009 Aprilia AUS11 AUS15 QAT3 QAT3 SPA8 SPA8 NED5 NEDRet ITA11 ITA5 RSA5 RSA5 USA6 USA4 SMR13 SMR10 GBR2 GBR21 CZE1 CZE2 GER5 GER4 ITA2 ITA4 FRA3 FRA2 POR3 POR6 4th 319 2010 Aprilia AUS5 AUS8 POR1 POR1 SPA2 SPA3 NED6 NED4 ITA1 ITA 1 RSA4 RSA3 USA1 USA1 SMR1 SMR1 CZE2 CZE1 GBR5 GBR6 GER4 GER5 ITA11 ITA5 FRA4 FRA1 1st 451 2011 Aprilia AUS2 AUS2 EUR7 EURDSQ NED2 NED2 ITA2 ITA8 USARet USA3 SMR2 SMR2 SPA2 SPA1 CZE2 CZE1 GBR11 GBR4 GERDNS GERDNS ITA ITA FRA FRA POR4 POR7 3rd 303 2012 Aprilia AUS1 AUS2 ITA4 ITA4 NED4 NED8 ITAC ITA5 EUR5 EUR2 USA3 USA3 SMR1 SMR1 SPA1 SPA4 CZE6 CZE4 GBRRet GBR11 RUS3 RUSRet GER1 GER13 POR4 POR3 FRARet FRA5 1st 358 2015 Aprilia AUS AUS THA THA SPA SPA NED NED ITA ITA GBR GBR POR POR SMR6 SMR6 USA USA MAL3 MALRet SPA SPA FRA FRA QAT QAT 20th 36