Many expected that Max Biaggi would pen an explosive, tell-all autobiography especially after leaving MotoGP at the end of 2005 after his controversial season with HRC, instead the six-time world champion decided to wait until he retired to publish his much awaited book.
The Roman Emperor’s book published late last month by Rizzoli was written with the help of the Corriere della Sera’s motorcycle journalist Paolo Scalera, and the book is called Oltre-Nelle pieghe della mia Vita (Beyond – In the corners of my life).
Like all autobiographies it delves into the life of the famous motorcycle rider, his successes and delusions, and describes how Biaggi was a very late bloomer in the world of racing, riding a borrowed motorcycle for the first time at the age 18.
It was an epiphany for Biaggi, but his father Pietro – who took care of him after his mother disappeared from his life when he was a young boy – tells him that if he wants wants a motorcycle and leathers he has to buy it himself, so he started to work as courier and competing in the minor motorcycle categories – where at the end of every race his motorcycle would be scrutineered to see if there was anything illegal.
He then debuted in the 250cc class where he would win four consecutive world titles and the legend of the Roman Emperor/Black Corsair was born.
The book covers his 20-year long career, including his intense rivalry with Valentino Rossi and his two World Superbike titles with Aprilia and much more.
At the moment the book has been published only in Italian, but hopefully someone will decide to have it translated, because Biaggi, whether you loved or hated him, is a huge part of motorcycle racing history.