<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>A satellite Ducati MotoGP ride is the latest rumoured destination for Max Biaggi in 2007, according to reports in the Spanish press.
The Italian, forced out of MotoGP at the end of last season following an acrimonious split with Honda - which also resulted in the downfall of the Pons team, through the loss of Camel sponsorship to Yamaha - has been linked to numerous MotoGP and World Superbike seats since the enforced end of his eight-year premier-class career.
A last minute WSBK ride seemed likely for this season, before negotiations with Alstare Suzuki broke down. Biaggi has now had plenty of time to sort a 2007 SBK seat, but his ability to attract sponsors and his race-winning experience could open the way for a MotoGP return.
With the Japanese factories unlikely to hire the hard-to-handle 42 times grand prix winner, the Ducati (and Italian) link would seem Max's best chance of a competitive ride. With the new 800cc machines being introduced next year, 2007 could also be a good time to be a satellite rider since the machine specification won't be far away from the factory bikes - at the start of the season anyway.
Biaggi's other GP options include a ride for one of the new teams intending to enter the championship, with the Ilmor/Suter project top of the list. Any such team would welcome Biaggi's experience, profile and commercial appeal but Max would need to accept that points rather than podiums are likely to be the initial target.
By contrast, a World Superbike move would offer the chance to fight at the front on leading machinery - but, as Alex Barros has discovered, victories are far from guaranteed...
35-year-old Biaggi is currently training in California, where he recently met pop star Christina Aguilera during a dinner with friends. Max, who says he has been jogging, cycling and riding his Super
moto machine, will visit the Summer X-Games at the end of this week.
http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Biaggi-an...6~id~134885.htm
The Italian, forced out of MotoGP at the end of last season following an acrimonious split with Honda - which also resulted in the downfall of the Pons team, through the loss of Camel sponsorship to Yamaha - has been linked to numerous MotoGP and World Superbike seats since the enforced end of his eight-year premier-class career.
A last minute WSBK ride seemed likely for this season, before negotiations with Alstare Suzuki broke down. Biaggi has now had plenty of time to sort a 2007 SBK seat, but his ability to attract sponsors and his race-winning experience could open the way for a MotoGP return.
With the Japanese factories unlikely to hire the hard-to-handle 42 times grand prix winner, the Ducati (and Italian) link would seem Max's best chance of a competitive ride. With the new 800cc machines being introduced next year, 2007 could also be a good time to be a satellite rider since the machine specification won't be far away from the factory bikes - at the start of the season anyway.
Biaggi's other GP options include a ride for one of the new teams intending to enter the championship, with the Ilmor/Suter project top of the list. Any such team would welcome Biaggi's experience, profile and commercial appeal but Max would need to accept that points rather than podiums are likely to be the initial target.
By contrast, a World Superbike move would offer the chance to fight at the front on leading machinery - but, as Alex Barros has discovered, victories are far from guaranteed...
35-year-old Biaggi is currently training in California, where he recently met pop star Christina Aguilera during a dinner with friends. Max, who says he has been jogging, cycling and riding his Super
moto machine, will visit the Summer X-Games at the end of this week.
http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Biaggi-an...6~id~134885.htm
