Max Biaggi: Past, Present and Future

Max Biaggi: Past, Present and Future



After a tough season in which he lost out on the Superbike crown he had won the previous year, thanks also to an injury to his left foot in Germany, Max Biaggi is preparing to fight for his second WSBK title in 2012. The Italian will once again be racing on a factory Aprilia, thus continuing his partnership with the Noale-based manufacturer, but this time he will have to do so with a totally new race crew.

His long-standing crew chief Giovanni Sandi, Francesco Guidotti, Aprilia's SBK team manager until 2011, together with a number of mechanics, have gone in a different direction for next year and for this reason Biaggi found himself in the position of having to put together another squad in record time. The choice has fallen on Aligi Deganello - Marco Simoncelli's former crew chief - and three more mechanics from Aprilia's racing team. Biaggi spoke about the past, present and future to WorldSBK.com in the following interview.

You are the most successful Aprilia rider of all time with 4 world titles (3 in 250 cc and 1 in SBK) with 36 wins and 32 poles. Where do you find the stimulus to improve?

"It's an honour for me to have been able to do all this and it's also sentimental ties with the Noale company and all its technical staff. Now things get more difficult as I have to win again, but I'm really motivated for 2012! I'm working hard to improve again and I feel that I can succeed".

You have had three seasons with the Aprilia SBK team. How do you feel about helping them to become world champion in Superbike, something they'd never been able to do before?

"I'm very pleased to have contributed to this fantastic result! The ‘first times' are always special and you never forget them, like my first 250 cc title in 1994 with Aprilia. I also remember 2009 when they called me to develop and race with Aprilia, the RSV was totally new and there was a lot of enthusiasm. We never expected to win the world title in just two years."

The same bike next year but you'll have a a completely new team, a sort of revolution for you. How did you and Aprilia arrive at this decision?

"In fact I am the one who has had to suffer this change. Nothing depended on me and unfortunately I'm paying the consequences. Everyone can imagine how tough it is to start a new world championship season with just a couple of months to organize everything and with a totally new team. Let's hope for the best!"

Who are the new arrivals? Are they going to make much difference to your plans?

"Together with Aprilia I've decided to take on Aligi (Deganello) who will be my new crew chief. I feel good about the decision both on the human and technical side of things. We'll have to see how the races go to have an overall view but just let us get down to work. There are also three more people who have worked in Aprilia. I'm feeling confident about everything."

How are you spending your winter break?

"Actually I've been involved mentally and on a practical level to get the team set up. Now that we've done the lost important part I hope I can have a more relaxed Christmas, because the loss of my old team was quite a sufferance to me. No hard feelings, I have a great feeling with all of them, so I'd like to wish them all the best for their new adventure."

Guarnoni and Staring confirmed for Pedercini STK1000



Jeremy Guarnoni has signed for Team Pedercini for the 2012 racing season and the young French rider will take part in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, riding for the Italian team on a Kawasaki ZX 10R. Guarnoni's team mate will be Australian Bryan Staring, who has renewed his agreement with Pedercini and he will therefore ride the Kawasaki ZX 10R for the second consecutive year.

Guarnoni (photo) was the Superstock 600 Champion in 2010 when he won more races than anyone else, and scored a total of eight podium finishes. The 18-year-old talent from Toulouse in France last year raced in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, concluding the season in seventeenth position while Staring finished his first racing season in Europe in eleventh place. With Guarnoni and Staring, the Pedercini team has put together a solid new team; both riders are young but with a range of experience and a strong will to win the championship.

Team Manager Donato Pedercini declared: "We are very excited to have Jeremy Guarnoni join our Superstock team for the 2012 season. Guarnoni is a young and very promising rider and he has been one of the riders we have followed very closely this year. We believe he's got a long and bright future ahead of him at the highest levels in motorcycle racing. We are also really happy to have Bryan with us for a second year. In the closing stages of the 2011 Championship, he demonstrated that he has the technical ability to improve further as a rider and we believe that he can be one of the leading Superstock 1000 riders. During our last winter tests in Valencia and Aragon, Bryan was very fast and we saw a lot of improvement in our bike in terms of electronics and settings. Guarnoni and Staring are two excellent riders and we are confident that we have signed up two strong title challengers for 2012".

Althea continue Unibat sponsor deal in 2012



The Althea Racing team is proud to confirm that it has renewed its agreement with key sponsor Unibat for the upcoming 2012 World Superbike season. Unibat has been producing high performance batteries for cars, motorcycles and heavy duty vehicles for over fifteen years and is a leader in its field across European markets. The company is the official supplier to many prestigious firms in Italy and abroad.

A main sponsor of Althea's Superbike outfit in 2010 and 2011, Unibat's continued support is of great importance to the team. Unibat has played a significant part in the successes that culminated in the 2011 World Superbike title for Althea Racing and rider Carlos Checa. The relationship between the two Italian companies has thus proved extremely fruitful and both parties are enthusiastic about working together again in 2012.

Antonio Annoscia, CEO of Unibat, is very happy to continue the relationship, stating that, "Having seen team Althea's ambitious plans for the 2012 Superbike season, we have decided to renew our contract as main sponsor of Althea Racing for another year. We believe in this team, made up of individuals who work well together on both technical and organizational levels. We're certain that our efforts will help consolidate Unibat's position as leader among motorcycle battery manufacturers across the globe."

Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing, is grateful to Unibat for its continued support and confirmed: "We are delighted to have come to an agreement with Unibat for a third consecutive season. With an extremely successful 2011 season already behind us, we look forward to working with Unibat in 2012 as we strive to consolidate this year's performance. Unibat has been one of our most loyal supporters over the last two years and we are therefore very pleased that our relationship will continue into the coming season."

Parkalgar Honda draws the curtain on World Supersport



After six successful years, the Parkalgar Honda team has taken the difficult decision to abandon World Supersport for the 2012 season. With 12 wins, 29 podiums, two runner-up slots (2009 and 2010) to its name, the team managed by AIA circuit boss Paulo Pinheiro has wound up its presence in the category as a result of the difficult economic situation which made it tough for the team to maintain its high Supersport ambitions.

A permanent presence in Supersport since 2006, Parkalgar Honda also made a major contribution to bike racing in Portugal, thanks to the support of a rider of the calibre of Miguel Praia, a true flag-bearer for the sport in his home country.

"It was a difficult but unavoidable decision to take," admitted Paulo Pinheiro. "Ours was without a shadow of doubt a successful project: our aim was to make Portimao's Autodromo Internacional do Algarve circuit known throughout the world and in this we succeeded. Nevertheless, without the support of other backers, it was no longer possible to continue with the same conditions and ambitions in 2012. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of the project, as well as the riders who defended our colours over the years: Simone Sanna, Eugene Laverty, Sam Lowes, Josh Hayes and obviously Miguel Praia. A special and sad mention must also go to Craig Jones: we will never forget him, he was an exceptional rider and person."

While a decision will be taken as to whether or not Parkalgar Honda can put together some sort of part-time program for the series, including taking part in its home round, rider Miguel Praia has also expressed his disappointment about the end of the team's Supersport adventure.

"I'm really sad at the moment, but at the same time I can consider myself proud to have been part of the project. We started off as the smallest team in the paddock and we reached the top of the category. With Parkalgar Honda I've had the best years of my career, they gave me the chance to improve as a rider and get some good results. Unfortunately our efforts have not allowed us to continue in 2012. In Portugal the only sport that has influence is football, everything else takes second best despite the results and the visibility for the country throughout the world. All that's left for me now is to look for alternatives for the future, my hopes are to continue with Honda and with a competitive project. I'm convinced that it's still not time for me to stop."

Dosoli confirmed as BMW race boss



BMW Motorrad Motorsport has restructured its team management as it prepares for the 2012 season of the FIM Superbike World Championship, with the former Yamaha team manager Andrea Dosoli now taking over as Head of Race Operations of the BMW Motorrad Motorsport operation with immediate effect.

39-year-old Dosoli's role involves managing the race team at races and tests. At the same time, he will also act as an interface with the marketers and organisers of the Superbike World Championship, as well as forming a link to suppliers. He takes over from Rainer Bäumel, who left the factory team at the end of the 2011 season to move to the management of a new vehicle project at BMW Motorrad.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier: "We are delighted to be able to welcome Andrea Dosoli on board. He has been involved in motorcycle racing for many years and boasts a wealth of experience as team manager. I am certain that Andrea is the ideal man to head our race team. With Andrea and our two works riders, Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri, we are well positioned for the coming season. We are looking forward to working together."

Andrea Dosoli: "I am really motivated to succeed in my new role at BMW Motorrad Motorsport. Recent years have shown that the team and the BMW S 1000 RR have a lot of potential. It is now a matter of tapping the full capability. I am really looking forward to doing my bit. Marco Melandri is an old acquaintance: we have already worked together in MotoGP and the Superbike World Championship in the past. Leon Haslam has also demonstrated just what he is capable of, and I am looking forward to working with him. I hope we will see both of them on the top step of the podium this year."

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