Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi born June 26, 1971 (1971-06-26) (age 36) in Rome, Italy is a motorcycle racer who currently resides in Monaco and in the United States. Biaggi is also known as the Roman Emperor and Mad Max and is notorious for his difficult relationship with the press, team personnel and other riders.

Contents
1 Career
1.1 125cc
1.2 250cc
1.3 500cc
1.4 MotoGP
1.5 Superbike World Championship
2 Personal life
3 Grand Prix career statistics [2]
4 References
5 External links



Career

125cc
Biaggi was more interested in soccer as a child. But in 1989, after he was given an Aprilia RS125 for his seventeeth 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
In 1991, Biaggi became the European champion 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 championship by winning three consecutive titles 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
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 Grand Prix at Suzuka, riding for the Kanemoto Honda team. He was also victorious at the Czech Republic Grand Prix and finished the season in second place behind the legendary 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
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 and Sepang, Malaysia 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. It was expected that Biaggi would be one of the main candidates for the title in 2004, but a crash in Estoril saw his season begin to fade. 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 fifth in the championship with only 173 points (series winner Rossi finished with 367).

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. On January 10, 2006, Biaggi posted on his website that he would not take part in the 2006 MotoGP season.


Superbike World Championship

Max Biaggi at WK SBK Assen 2007Biaggi 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 September 14, 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, with few aggressive races and some significant errors, Max Biaggi was not able to win the Superbike World Championship and 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 fire 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 will be riding a Ducati 1098RS for the Sterilgarda/GoEleven team[1]. His team mate will be Ruben Xaus.


Personal life
Throughout his career, Biaggi is best known for his heated rivalry with compatriot Valentino Rossi and other riders. In 1997, he was rumored to be dating supermodel, Naomi Campbell as they were seen boarding the same aircraft separately. This led to insults by Rossi when he appeared on the podium to produce a blonde blow up doll that vaguely resembled Claudia Schiffer to poke fun at the relationship. At the 2001 Spanish GP, the two riders came to blows following the race. There was an attempt to cover up the fight from the press but it was soon revealed.

Grand Prix career statistics

Season Class Motorcycle Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
1991 250cc Aprilia RS250 4 0 0 0 0 7 27th
1992 250cc Aprilia RS250 12 1 5 4 1 78 5th
1993 250cc Honda NSR250 14 1 5 2 1 142 4th
1994 250cc Aprilia RS250 14 5 10 7 8 234 1st
1995 250cc Aprilia RS250 13 8 12 9 7 283 1st
1996 250cc Aprilia RS250 15 9 11 8 9 274 1st
1997 250cc Honda NSR250 15 5 10 3 2 250 1st
1998 500cc Honda NSR500 14 2 8 2 2 208 2nd
1999 500cc Yamaha YZR500 16 1 7 1 1 194 4th
2000 500cc Yamaha YZR500 16 2 4 5 3 170 3rd
2001 500cc Yamaha YZR500 16 3 9 7 2 219 2nd
2002 MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1 16 2 8 4 1 215 2nd
2003 MotoGP Honda RC211V 16 2 9 3 1 228 3rd
2004 MotoGP Honda RC211V 16 1 9 1 3 217 3rd
2005 MotoGP Honda RC211V 17 0 4 0 1 173 5th

http://www.max-biaggi.com/index_en.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChZpJ1yL0co&feature=related

03-03-2008 11:25
Hi to all, I m writing to you from Melbourne where I m in order to leave for return to Montecarlo. What can I say… I haven t more words for passed week-end. All has begun badly from the Saturday s superpole with the gear level s break (never happened before) and It s ended quite worse with two falls with the right arm s break and several rubbings for all the body. The medical prognosis is of 30 days. The misfortune has been that I have fallen in the fastest part of the tracing where the speed can be 300 km/h and you understand that on this speed I can been thought fortunate to have only a arm s brake. I m bitter for the happened and displeased for my team. We could earn two podiums but… But I want to be optimist and to recover hastily for to be ready for the redemption in Valencia. I hope to be there and to give you great emotions. See you…

Max