In 2012, Biaggi announced his retirement after winning the World Superbike championship for the second time in three years, and by one of the slimmest margins in the history of the sport - a half-point over the surprising Tom Sykes. He had to scratch and claw his way against his tenacious rival Marco Melandri and upstart Sykes, but did what champions do, find a way to win.
While 2012 wasn’t Biaggi’s best season in World Superbike, it was a prime example of what can be achieved when failure is not an option. After crashing out of the first race, Mad Max had to place fifth or better to clinch the championship. A dull start left him 10th out of the gate, but his resolve and skill allowed him to pass through the pack and get in position to bring the title home. 2012 was one of the most determined efforts Biaggi’s put forth.
The “Roman Emperor” retires with more than two decades of racing under his belt. in 2008, he still placed seventh in World Superbike. Keep in mind, these stats disregard the few races Biaggi contested in 1991 in 250cc GP, where he officially landed in 27th overall after finishing two races. To his credit though, he also won the European 250cc championship in 1991, so the year definitely wasn’t a wash. Unlike, say 2006, which definitely was a wash - as Max was drummed out of MotoGP - taking a year off before reinventing himself as a World SBK contender.
Since 2012 marks the end of his long and successful career, as well as for the fact that he persevered in the top production-based championship of the world to win outright at 41 years of age. After more than 20 years in the saddle as a professional racer, Max Biaggi finally hung up the leathers this year - going out on top as the 2012 World SBK champ.
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