Biaggi to sign for new Aprilia team
Added on Friday, September 19th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Biaggi to sign for new Aprilia team
Max Biaggi looks set to join the Aprilia World Superbike team for 2009, according to reports emerging from Vallelunga.
The Sterilgarda Ducati rider looks set to be announced by Aprilia on Saturday, ahead of this weekend’s Italian WSB round after agreeing a two-year-deal worth more than €1m, according to Italian sports daily Gazetta dello Sport.
Aprilia will be making a highly anticipated return to World Superbikes in 2009, ending a six-year absence from the competition and the capture of Biaggi, expected to be announced on the same day as the launch of the new RSV-4, will be seen as a major coup.
The 37-year-old, who was reportedly unhappy at being snubbed by the Ducati factory team to replace Troy Bayliss, is no stranger to Aprilia, having won three of his four 250cc world titles with the Italian team.
Biaggi joined the World Superbike Championship in 2007 with Suzuki after quitting MotoGP at the end of the 2005 season, before moving to the satellite Ducati team the following season.
The move will mean that the Sterilgarda team will have a completely new rider line-up from 2009, with Ruben Xaus also leaving the team to join the new BMW factory outfit.
Reports are also linking British Superbikes rider Shayne Byrne with a move to Aprilia, with doubts surrounding his future following the decision by GSE Racing to ditch Ducati in favour of Yamaha at the end of this season.
