In front of 69,000 fans Max Biaggi earned the 2010 World title a round early after Leon Haslam's engine blew up.
Thirteen years after winning his last World title,
Max Biaggi became the first ever Italian to win the
WSB crown. In front of a weekend crowd of 69,000 race fans that included the entire
Aprilia Racing company and the bosses of
Piaggio – Aprilia’s parent company, Biaggi wrapped up the title for Aprilia and their stunning RSV4.
Addressing a packed press conference an emotional Biaggi said: “I did not think it was possible to win here because our bike is very complicated to get working over the bumps. In Race 1 we didn’t have the package to stop over the bumps and accelerate hard out of the corners. I went straight through the gravel twice and the first time I really nearly crashed. To race in this condition knowing that I couldn’t lose too many points is mentally very tough. In this situation experience always makes the difference and for Race 2 I made a change that I had never tested before. We changed the offset and that gave me a better feeling on the brakes.”
“As for the championship I am the type of person that doesn’t look to the past so for sure this title is more appreciated than anything before. Winning in 250GP was fantastic, but this is more special. I did not think it would be possible to be world champion at nearly 40.”
Carlos Checa had his best result in the entire season at Imola where he went 1-1.
In contrast to Biaggi’s elation,
Leon Haslam saw the slim chance of overhauling Biaggi end when his Alstare
Suzuki blew-up mid-way through the second race. It was a massive disappointment given Haslam’s brilliant ride in Race 1 and gutsy performance in Race 2.
“It is frustrating that it has ended the way because I was hoping to take the fight to Magny-Cours, but that’s racing,” said Haslam. “We always knew it was going to be hard because Max’s lead in the points was so great, but while there was hope we kept fighting. Obviously, I hadn’t wanted the title fight to end this way, but I knew that this weekend was all about having to go for it - and that’s what I did. I am a bit ticked off because this is only the second race weekend when I have not been on the podium. So, I better make up for it in Magny-Cours by winning both races!”
Race day honors went to an immaculate riding
Carlos Checa aboard his Althea
Ducati. Checa hasn’t won since the opening round of the championship at Phillip Island and his double victory today went some way in making amends for his double DNF whilst leading both races at Miller in May.
“Honestly I did not think this was possible,” said Checa. “For sure I knew we had good pace but to come from the third row to win both races is incredible for me. I think today I was a little bit faster than the rest of the guys. Race 1 was very interesting. I am sorry for Leon because he rode very well, but when he tried to pass me I knew he would run wide because I was on the maximum in that area. Congratulations to Max and congratulations to Aprilia – they have done a great job.”
Xerox Ducati's Noriyuki Haga claimed a double podium in Italy and is currently sixth in the championship.
The other success story of the Imola weekend was in-form Brit,
Tom Sykes, aboard the factory
Kawasaki. Sykes made the most of his pole position and led both races, eventually finishing sixth and fourth – Kawasaki’s best overall results in three years.
It was also another strong weekend for
Noriyuki Haga, who claimed a double podium in what was his penultimate ride on the Xerox Ducati. Haga is expected to announce in the coming weeks that he will be riding a factory-supported Aprilia RSV4 in 2011.
Jonathan Rea was forced to miss the two races altogether following his Superpole crash where he fractured his scaphoid and collarbone. Rea bravely went out in warm-up this morning, but crashed again. He will see a specialist tomorrow in the UK and it remains unclear if he will be fit to race at Magny Cours next weekend.
