INTERVIEW
MAX BIAGGI
P96
lenge for me. The biggest chal-
lenge is my age. To see how my
body responds to a World Cham-
pionship race against young
people, at an Italian round… lot
of pressure so I put myself in the
worst situation to see if I can do
it and match my expectation.
"I am thinking to do my best,
but a full season is another story.
It is not only me it is the manu-
facturer, my family and that was
my decision three years ago.
To go back for a season would
be tough and very difficult. But
while we are alive everything
is possible, so let's put it this
way—if you want to enjoy, enjoy
it now."
When asked about Casey
Stoner and his potential for a
comeback, at a much younger
age than Biaggi, Biaggi was
unequivocal in his opinion.
"I would love to see Casey
[Stoner] coming back," Biaggi
said. "I would love to see that.
I think he can surprise many
people, that is my personal
opinion."
The inevitable comparison of
Biaggi's re-appearance in World
Superbike and Marco Melandri's
tough re-introduction to MotoGP
this season, on a very much
work-in-progress Aprilia, was put
to Biaggi.
"I understand that it is tough
for Marco [Melandri] and this
project in year one," he said.
"Very tough. It is not proper Mo-
toGP—it is half way, a MotoGP
and Superbike. But of course
I know that even before they
started. So it is tough because
Alvaro [Bautista] is going very
fast, almost one or two seconds
a lap faster than him. You do not
expect this from a professional
point of view. I am not in his
mind so I cannot judge. If you
look at Bautista he has finished
10
th
or 12
th
; if you accept to do
that, then I think he is capable to
do this, why not. But because he
is so far, this is a problem." CN
Biaggi's royal send off at his last
race before retiring in 2012 at
Magny Cours.
