The World Superbike rider carousel kicked into high gear around the final WSBK round at Magny-Cours, but there was one notable name absent from the flurry of contract signings. Despite having wrapped up the 2010 World Superbike title the weekend before, Max Biaggi kept remarkably silent on his future plans, leading to speculation that the Roman Emperor might even be considering retirement.
Biaggi himself dismissed talk of retirement, though he refused to comment on what his intentions might be. With every factory seat but one taken in WSBK, though, there was little debate about where he would end up: Back at Aprilia, with the factory that had brought him his first WSBK title, and his first championship in 13 years. The question was surely just a matter of when the new contract would be announced.
The answer to that question would appear to be this Friday evening, at the special party that Aprilia is putting on in the Piazza Castello in the heart of Noale, the Italian base of Aprilia, to celebrate winning both the riders' and manufacturers' titles in 2010. Reports emerging from Italy state that Biaggi has signed a new two-year deal with the Italian factory, and that the new contract is to be announced tonight, as part of the celebrations. The contract would reportedly give Biaggi the option to leave after the first year, as the Roman will have reached the ripe old age of 41 by the time the two-year deal ends after the 2012 season. Official confirmation is expected after the Aprilia championship party tonight.
