Six-Time World Champion · MotoGP

Max Biaggi

Four straight 250cc titles, eight seasons in the premier class without ever winning it, and two Superbike championships in his forties, the second by half a point. The official Max Biaggi collection: Chesterfield Aprilia, the No. 3, and the RSV4.

Nationality
Italian
Born
26 June 1971 · Rome, Italy
Teams
Chesterfield Aprilia · Marlboro Yamaha · Repsol Honda · Aprilia Racing
World titles
6 (250cc 1994–1997, Superbike 2010 and 2012)
Bike number
3
Honours
MotoGP Legend, 2022
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Graphic illustration of legendary World Champion motorcycle racer Max Biaggi wearing his Aprilia racing suit and Camel cap, featuring his black and orange Aprilia race motorcycle
Six-Time World Champion
1991 — 2015
6
World Championships
63
Race Wins
182
Podium Finishes
373
Race Starts

Who is Max Biaggi?

Max Biaggi (born 26 June 1971) is an Italian former motorcycle racer who won the 250cc World Championship four years running from 1994 to 1997 and the Superbike World Championship in 2010 and 2012, both with Aprilia. He won 42 Grand Prix races and 21 Superbike races but never took the premier-class Grand Prix title, finishing second three times. He was made a MotoGP Legend in 2022.

Full name
Massimiliano Biaggi
Nationality
Italian
Racing career
1991–2005 Grand Prix · 2007–2015 Superbike
Best known for
Four straight 250cc titles and the 2012 Superbike title by half a point

By KozmozInspire Editorial Published Updated 8 sources

Rider Profile

Max Biaggi: Full Biography

Max Biaggi is an Italian former motorcycle racer who won the 250cc World Championship four years in succession from 1994 to 1997 and the Superbike World Championship in 2010 and 2012. He was inducted as a MotoGP Legend in 2022.

Rossi He took his first Grand Prix win in the last race of 1992 and then four consecutive 250cc titles, three on the black Chesterfield Aprilia and the fourth on a Honda. He moved up in 1998 and won on his 500cc debut at Suzuka from pole, with the fastest lap. Eight premier-class seasons followed and he finished second three times and third three times, but never won it.

Superbike Honda dropped him for 2006 and no other MotoGP seat came. He spent a year out, then joined World Superbikes in 2007 and won his debut race at Losail, finishing third overall. A winless season on a satellite Ducati followed.

Aprilia He went to the factory Aprilia team in 2009 to develop the RSV4 and won the championship in 2010, the first Superbike title for Aprilia and for an Italian rider. He took a second in 2012 by half a point from Tom Sykes, the closest finish in the championship’s history, and retired at 41.

The Career

Three Chapters That Defined Max Biaggi

Chapter 01

Rossi

He won his first Grand Prix in the last race of 1992 and then took the 250cc class apart: four titles in a row, the first three on the black Chesterfield Aprilia that became one of the most recognisable bikes of the decade, the fourth after leaving for Erv Kanemoto's Honda. The step up in 1998 could hardly have gone better, pole and fastest lap and victory on his 500cc debut at Suzuka, and he led the championship with three rounds left before a disputed black flag in Catalunya turned it. He finished second that year and second again in 2001 and 2002, third in 2000, 2003 and 2004. The premier-class title never came, and by 2005, his one season on a factory Honda, he did not win a race.

Max Biaggi leaned into a corner on the orange, white and red Repsol Honda, number 3. Repsol Honda · British Grand Prix, 2005 Photo: Max Biaggi leaned into a corner on the orange, white and red Repsol Honda, number 3. by Oz — CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized. · licence
Chapter 02

Superbike

Honda replaced him with Dani Pedrosa for 2006 and no other ride materialised; he sat out the season. He came back in World Superbikes with Alstare Suzuki in 2007 and won the first race he entered, at Losail, having also won the first 500cc Grand Prix he entered nine years earlier. Third overall that year was followed by a season on a satellite Ducati with Team Sterilgarda in 2008 that brought seven podiums and no wins, and seventh in the standings.

Max Biaggi cranked over across the kerbs on the black Sterilgarda Ducati, number 3. Sterilgarda Ducati · Brands Hatch, 2008 Photo: Max Biaggi cranked over across the kerbs on the black Sterilgarda Ducati, number 3. by Smudge 9000 — CC BY 2.0. Resized. · licence
Chapter 03

Aprilia

Aprilia returned to Superbikes in 2009 with the RSV4 and Biaggi spent that year developing it, finishing fourth. In 2010 he won ten races and gave both Aprilia and Italy a first Superbike world title. Third in 2011 after a foot injury cost him two rounds, he won it again in 2012 at the age of 41 by half a point from Tom Sykes, 358 to 357.5, the narrowest margin in the history of the championship, and retired. He came back once as an Aprilia wildcard in 2015 and took a podium. In November 2021 he set the electric motorcycle speed record on the Voxan Wattman, and MotoGP made him a Legend the following year.

Max Biaggi on the red and green Aprilia RSV4 carrying the number 1 of the reigning champion. Aprilia RSV4 Factory · Donington Park, 2011 Photo: Max Biaggi on the red and green Aprilia RSV4 carrying the number 1 of the reigning champion by Aprilia RSV4 Factory, World Superbike at Donington Park (2011) by Jared Earle/MotoRaceReports / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (cropped and resized) · licence
Career Timeline

Max Biaggi Career Timeline: 1971–Present

Born in Rome

Massimiliano Biaggi is born on 26 June in Rome.

Grand Prix Debut

Four 250cc races for Aprilia in his first season.

First Win

Wins the final round at Kyalami and finishes fifth overall.

Honda

A season with Rothmans Kanemoto, fourth in the championship.

World Champion

Returns to Aprilia and wins the first of four 250cc titles.

Three in a Row

A third consecutive title on the Chesterfield Aprilia.

Four in a Row

Leaves Aprilia for Honda and wins the title again.

500cc Debut Win

Pole, fastest lap and victory at Suzuka; second in the championship.

Yamaha

Joins Marlboro Yamaha for three seasons in the 500cc class.

MotoGP

Second overall in the first four-stroke season.

Camel Honda

Third in the championship on a satellite Honda, and third again in 2004.

Repsol Honda

A factory ride at last, and a first premier-class season without a win.

Out

Loses his seat to Dani Pedrosa and sits the season out.

Superbike

Wins on his World Superbike debut at Losail and finishes third.

Aprilia

Joins the factory team to develop the RSV4.

Superbike Champion

Ten wins and a first Superbike title for Aprilia and for Italy.

Champion Again

Takes a second title by half a point and retires at 41.

Wildcard

Returns for four races as an Aprilia wildcard and takes a podium.

Speed Record

Sets the electric motorcycle world speed record on the Voxan Wattman.

MotoGP Legend

Inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame at Mugello.

By the Numbers

Max Biaggi Race Record, Season by Season

Max Biaggi season-by-season record: team, wins, poles, podiums, points and final standing.
SeasonTeam Wins Poles Podiums Points Pos.
1991 Aprilia · 250cc 0 0 0 7 27
1992 Telkor Valesi Aprilia · 250cc 1 4 5 78 5
1993 Rothmans Kanemoto Honda · 250cc 1 2 5 142 4
1994 Chesterfield Aprilia · 250cc 5 7 10 234 1
1995 Chesterfield Aprilia · 250cc 8 9 12 283 1
1996 Chesterfield Aprilia · 250cc 9 8 11 274 1
1997 Marlboro Kanemoto Honda · 250cc 5 3 10 250 1
1998 Marlboro Kanemoto Honda · 500cc 2 2 8 208 2
1999 Marlboro Yamaha · 500cc 1 1 7 194 4
2000 Marlboro Yamaha · 500cc 2 5 4 170 3
2001 Marlboro Yamaha · 500cc 3 7 9 219 2
2002 Marlboro Yamaha · MotoGP 2 4 8 215 2
2003 Camel Pramac Pons Honda · MotoGP 2 3 9 228 3
2004 Camel Honda · MotoGP 1 1 9 217 3
2005 Repsol Honda · MotoGP 0 0 4 173 5
2007 Alstare Suzuki · Superbike 3 0 17 397 3
2008 Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati · Superbike 0 0 7 238 7
2009 Aprilia Racing · Superbike 1 0 9 319 4
2010 Aprilia Alitalia Racing · Superbike 10 4 14 451 1
2011 Aprilia Alitalia Racing · Superbike 2 4 12 303 3
2012 Aprilia Racing · Superbike 5 2 11 358 1
2015 Aprilia Racing · Superbike 0 0 1 36 20

Championship seasons are highlighted. This table covers two separate championships. Grand Prix racing, 1991 to 2005: 42 wins · 111 podiums · 56 poles · 2,892 points from 214 starts, of which 13 wins and 23 poles came in the 500cc and MotoGP classes. World Superbike, 2007 to 2015: 21 wins · 71 podiums · 10 poles · 2,102 points from 159 starts. WorldSBK's own records confirm the 42 Grand Prix wins, 111 podiums and 56 poles, and the 21 Superbike wins and 71 podiums. His Wikipedia summary boxes disagree with their own season-by-season rows on Superbike starts, poles and fastest laps; the per-season figures are used here, and they sum to the totals above. Points are not comparable between the classes or between the two championships, and the Grand Prix scoring system changed in 1993. Figures verified 16 August 2026.

Max Biaggi in his own words

In His Own Words
I'm honoured to become a MotoGP Legend and know that my name will be up there forever with other important racers like Agostini, Aspar, Nieto, Sheene…
Max Biaggi · on joining the MotoGP Hall of Fame
Frequently Asked

Max Biaggi: Frequently Asked Questions

How many world championships did Max Biaggi win?

Six. Four in the 250cc Grand Prix class, in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997, and two in the Superbike World Championship, in 2010 and 2012.

Did Max Biaggi ever win the MotoGP title?

No. He spent eight seasons in the premier class between 1998 and 2005 and finished second three times, in 1998, 2001 and 2002, and third three times, in 2000, 2003 and 2004. He took 13 premier-class wins.

What happened in the 1998 Catalan Grand Prix?

Biaggi crossed the line first while leading the championship with three rounds to go, but was given a stop-and-go penalty for an alleged yellow-flag infringement, disputed it and did not serve it. He was shown the black flag and disqualified. The title went to Mick Doohan.

How close was Biaggi's 2012 Superbike title?

Half a point. He finished on 358 points to Tom Sykes's 357.5 after the final round at Magny-Cours, the narrowest margin in the history of the Superbike World Championship. He was 41.

Why did Max Biaggi leave MotoGP?

He lost his Repsol Honda seat to Dani Pedrosa for 2006 and could not find another ride, so he sat the season out before moving to World Superbikes in 2007.

What was Biaggi's rivalry with Valentino Rossi?

The defining feud of Italian motorcycle racing in the early 2000s. The two raced against each other in the premier class from 2000 to 2005, with Rossi finishing ahead in the standings every year, and their disputes ran well beyond the track.

Why is Max Biaggi called the Roman Emperor?

It comes from his birthplace, Rome, and from a manner the press found imperious. He has also been called Mad Max.

What has Max Biaggi done since retiring?

He returned as an Aprilia wildcard in 2015 and took a podium, and in November 2021 he set the electric motorcycle world speed record on the Voxan Wattman. MotoGP inducted him as a Legend at Mugello in 2022.

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References

Sources & Further Reading

Every statistic on this page is drawn from the following records.

  1. Max Biaggi — official rider profile · MotoGP (official)
  2. Double WorldSBK Champion Max Biaggi becomes a MotoGP Legend · WorldSBK (official), career totals
  3. Lorenzo, Biaggi, Anderson to become MotoGP Legends · Crash.net, source of the pull quote
  4. Biaggi wins 2012 WSBK title by 0.5 points · Crash.net, the Magny-Cours decider
  5. Max Biaggi wins the World Superbikes crown by the smallest ever margin · Sky Sports, second source for the 2012 margin
  6. The Voxan Wattman breaks 21 world speed records · Cycle News, the 2021 speed records
  7. Max Biaggi · Wikipedia, season-by-season results
  8. Max Biaggi (Q176250) · Wikidata entity record

How this page is made

Rider profiles are compiled from official series records and cross-checked against independent statistical databases before publication.

Commercial disclosure. This page links to merchandise sold by KozmozInspire. Products are fan-made tributes inspired by motorsport history and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed from the rider, their estate, or any team.

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