Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127742
Max Biaggi t the moment, two weeks is a long time in the life of Max Biaggi. He is in the middle of contract negotiations with ApriJia, you see, and they are being conducted in a very Italian way, with lots of . public promises on both sides to remain discreetly silent about them, followed shortly afterwards by tirades of angry criticism from both sides about the other's ridiculous, crazy bargaining position; and a string of "final deadlines" that come and go with the regularity of commuter trains. All achieved, somehow, with warmth and sympathy. So that, when asked at the end of the interview if there is anything we haven't spoken about, Max does have something to add: "If you heard anything about trouble between me and my team, it is all rubbish. We have never had any argument." Max has plenty of other things on his mind, of course. Not least among these is the battle to hold on to his 250cc title; which, is really going rather well, requiring little m0re from now on but that he put aside his previous tendency to crash, and continues to exploit his machine superiority over the rival he most fe'!rs - Tetsuya Harada. But these negotiations are crucial, because they will determine not only the 24-year-old Roman's earning power over the next year or more, but also the direction of his future. As a child, Max always wanted to be it soccer star, and he discovered his talent for racing A almost by accident. Now he is set for a serious big-time future, and must decide. Will he stay in 250s, or go to 500s? And if the latter, will it be on Aprilia's V-twin "Super-250", or on a Vfour? Biaggi, seated in a quiet corner.of Aprilia's hospitality unit, answered all these questions and more, speaking the good if highly Italian-flavored English that he learned over the space of one winter, when he realized that he would need it if he was to exploit the full potential of his future stardom. Firstly, how much difference had winning the World Championship meant in his life? "At the moment, I have kept all the original things of my life. I haven't changed very much. I haven't bought myself a Ferrari. But my life has become more busy than before, and I am more popular. I have many friends who work in television, and I have been on a couple of shows. Just fun. "You have to live with this, and expect some extra pressure. But that is not why I do it - to be famous and rich. I like the world of motorcycles. That's all." The defense of what he has won seems to be going easily. After losing points crashing in the wet in Japan, Biaggi had regained momentum and the points lead with three wins in a row in Germany, Italy and Holland. Furthermore, Harada was injured. Wasn't it all getting a bit too easy? '1t's never easy, but maybe it's easier