Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Left) Max Biaggi - mystery man. Both off the bike and (sometimes) on. (Above) But no matter what anyone says about him, the Italian wins races. on the two-stroke. I did 20 laps, and I said the problems with this bike is this, this and this. But maybe for six months after that, there was no change, until they realized that wherever we went, we were slower than the two-strokes. In Australia and Malaysia, the only improvement we did was because the tire was better. And finally Yamaha realized this, and they started from then to put some meat on the grill. But the meat must be cooked at least for four or five months to see if there's result. In France [where the first big improvements came], they had planned that long in advance. Le Mans was a big turning point. Then the bike is getting better and better, and then finally we were able to ride the bike 100 percent. I did a good job after that, no? I think if they didn't listen too much to Carlos Checa, they would have a much better bike. Maybe they listened too much to what he said. Remember, the time he did when testing in August in Brno [2001], he was not able to do that in the race, or even qualifying. The lap time we did in the tests in August was much faster than the race time that weekend ... and nobody knows why. But if you want to take the right direction, you need the right rider. Why didn't you speak to them? I spoke to them. But they listened to Carlos instead. Maybe. I remember that at the beginning of the year, there was a feeling that Carlos was the right guy for the four-stroke. Also in the team. Yes, you're right. Back in August, I said to them: "The engine brake system is not work- ing, the throttle connection is not 100 percent, the handling should be better. .. " all things like that. They made three different chassis, then I find my one. I said: "This is mine," and he [Carlos). and after three days in Mugello, two days with old chassis for him, on the last day he put my chassis, half-second quicker so ... I think he had no idea. How did the split with Yamaha come about? I had the feeling that some people in Yamaha are against me. Some people. Do you mean in Japan? No. The Japanese are complete racing people. They are people on the commercial side. Maybe one or two [in Japan] listened to them, but I think at the end of the day ... I hope they're going to have some trouble. This is my biggest hope. Do you want to mention a name? No, I can't say too much at the moment - but in the future ... something will change - but it's not my business at the moment. Like I said, for me to start again in the winter and discover the bike I will use in the future is slower than the two-stroke is a knife in my back. I always exhort myself to improve. I'm always extreme. I'm asking too much of myself sometimes, and I take it so seriously. But this is the only way to be a success. So if you have some shit, you want to come out of it. Do you think you could return to Yamaha in the future? Hmmm, you know, always, everything is possible. But I took my decision because I felt something was missing, and my objective is to win, not to show ... that we are there. I don't want to be part of that. I want to be the one. Did Yamaha try to make you stay? No. Well, honestly, after Brno they were more positive to me, then after Malaysia somebody in Yamaha asked if I was sure about my new contract. They asked me to speak to my lawyer, just for information - to know if there was an opportunity. I said that I had already made a decision. I had given my word. This is not professional, and I felt that I was too serious for this kind of people. I will never break a contract to make someone happy. I am very pleased with the decision that I make. Some of the Yamaha Motor Racing people say you complained too much in the press and spoke too freely. Is that fair? I think the person who says this is one of these guys we're talking about. I can understand why. In the paddock, Rossi and Biaggi are the two big names. I don't want to take out from [Kenny] Roberts and the others, but in the Italian press we are up there. It's normal if somebody gives a gun to journalist to shoot, they will shoot - they need to fill the column. And maybe they didn't like Yamaha - because they didn't give the winning bike to us - they are even harder with them than me. Sometimes they use me, because of course: Max Biaggi, Yamaha; Yamaha, Max Biaggi. But after you wait one year and you go testing in February to be one-second-point-something slower. Whew, something will happen. It's not me; it's not my teammate. It's the way they plan; this ... was a disaster! Let's go back to last year. At Brno and then again at two races afterward, you crashed. Each time the same crash: losing the front wheel. Three times. Why, after the first, didn't you back off? Finish second? To leave the championship open, I needed to win. But no, what happened, it happened so quick that I didn't realize. There was no warning at all. eye I e neON S • JANUARY 22, 2003 29

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