Photo: motogp.com
It may sound incredible, but Max Biaggi is back on an ART (Aprilia Racing Team) motorcycle for a test at Mugello. The 2-time WSBK world champion and 3-time 250GP champion is helping Aprilia develop the prototype it plans to field in 2016 as a factory team in the MotoGP.
With IodaRacing’s Danilo Petrucci recovering from a surgery to fix his fractured wrist, Aprilia asked Biaggi to lap around the iconic Mugello track aboard ART machinery. When the news first broke out, imagination ran wild with fans believing that Max will be substituting for Petrucci in the upcoming MotoGP round at Le Mans, in France this weekend.
Aprilia Racing’s manager Romano Albesiano however, made it clear: "Max is an important part of Aprilia's history and a rider with great skill, who wanted to try our ART machine as we work towards the creation of a MotoGP prototype. We are pleased to see Max again at the controls of the bike, it’s always great for the engineers and racing fans to see. But this is not a test in preparation for a return to the race track. Things are starting to take shape and I like to think of this test more as a gathering between two friends."
It appears like Max Biaggi will become even more involved with Aprilia’s MotoGP efforts, as he is rumored to become a full-time test rider for Aprilia. After gathering a lot of MotoGP experience over multiple years as a CRT/Open team, Aprilia is aiming for a comeback as a full-fledged factory team in 2016, and has already started developing the future motorcycle.
Max Biaggi, 42, has requested a wild-card appearance in World Superbike at Misano, for the 22nd of June, so it looks like he’s not hanging up his leathers completely.
Aprilia Racing’s manager Romano Albesiano however, made it clear: "Max is an important part of Aprilia's history and a rider with great skill, who wanted to try our ART machine as we work towards the creation of a MotoGP prototype. We are pleased to see Max again at the controls of the bike, it’s always great for the engineers and racing fans to see. But this is not a test in preparation for a return to the race track. Things are starting to take shape and I like to think of this test more as a gathering between two friends."
It appears like Max Biaggi will become even more involved with Aprilia’s MotoGP efforts, as he is rumored to become a full-time test rider for Aprilia. After gathering a lot of MotoGP experience over multiple years as a CRT/Open team, Aprilia is aiming for a comeback as a full-fledged factory team in 2016, and has already started developing the future motorcycle.
Max Biaggi, 42, has requested a wild-card appearance in World Superbike at Misano, for the 22nd of June, so it looks like he’s not hanging up his leathers completely.
Google News