Max Biaggi
Four-time 250cc world champion and two-time Superbike world champion, Max Biaggi is a MotoGP Hall of Fame inductee and one of the most successful riders never to win the premier-class title.
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.
Quick Facts
- Nationality
- Italian (Rome)
- Nickname
- Il Drago (The Dragon)
- World championships
- 125cc (1994), 250cc (1998)
- Premier-class titles
- None (multiple race wins in 500cc/MotoGP)
- Key teams
- Aprilia
- Honda
- Yamaha
- Suzuki
- Racing era
- Mid-1990s through 2013
- Status
- Retired
Lore & Background
Biaggi is a brand ambassador for Aprilia motorcycles. 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.
Reader's Guide
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. After winning four 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 two victories with private Honda. This earned him a move to the Factory Yamaha Team in 1999. In his four seasons with Yamaha, Biaggi collected eight 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 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 1998, 2001 and 2002. 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.
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