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.
Official Press Release from Aprilia Racing:
Aprilia Racing and Max Biaggi have signed a contract which ties the 2010 World Superbike Champion to the manufacturer which has seen him triumph since his debut in the 250cc class.
Thanks to this agreement, which is valid for two years, Max Biaggi and Aprilia will be able to team up to defend the Riders and Manufacturers titles earned this year. In fact, 2010 was an extraordinary year in sport for the Biaggi-Aprilia duo in World SBK: ten victories, four double wins and another four podiums led the five time champion to take the rider world championship (the first Italian in motorcycling history) and Aprilia to its first triumph in the WSBK Manufacturers standings.
With confirmation of the Biaggi-Aprilia partnership, one of the most victorious collaborations in sports history is renewed: Max boasts five world championships in a record time frame, considering the fact that sixteen years have passed since his first 250 world championship and this year’s SBK title. For its part, Aprilia has a collection of 45 world titles and, with 277 victories in GP, it is the most victorious marque in the history of Moto GP.
“I’m obviously very happy to be continuing this winning adventure in World SBK with Aprilia – Max Biaggi said – After an exciting but tiring season, after many years of racing and many victories, it was only natural and right to stop and think, to reflect on such an important future commitment. And in my considerations a very decisive factor was, as it was at the beginning of this adventure with Aprilia, the fact that I feel so close to a team and a company which is so capable and so focused on the sporting objective. Now we need to prepare as best as we can for next season. We are well aware that we cannot rest on our laurels and that we will be in all of our rivals’ sights. But now I am also sure that we will be highly motivated at the start of the first race, with a bike which I have developed and which I did not want to abandon. I’m ready fight hard… really hard”.
Source: GPone
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