Now officially official, Max Biaggi has inked a contract with Aprilia Racing, which sees the 39-year-old Italian riding on the V4 of Aprilia for the next two years. Suggesting to the Italian press that he will ride with Aprilia until he retires, Biaggi and the Noale brand will defend both the Rider and Manufacturer World Superbike Championships next year.

Biaggi gave the WSBK press a collective heart attack this weekend when an announcement of his contract failed to materialize during a homecoming festival held in his honor at Aprilia’s home town of Noale. Whether Biaggi and Aprilia have made this announcement in response to the growing concern that The Roman Emperor would retire, we will probably never know, but regardless of how it came to be, the official press release is after the jump.