Valentino Rossi takes responsibility for one of his biggest rivals in MotoGP

Valentino Rossithroughout his successful sports career in which he won nine world titles, always there must be sports matches on and off the track along with some of its rivals. Max Biaggi, Sete Gibernau, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez are some of his ‘victims’ and, concerning one of them, he examined their quarrel.

In pilot Andrea Migno’s ‘Mig Babol’ podcast, ‘Il Dottore’ explained everything that happened on ‘El Corsario’: “Looking back on what happened, I’ll say it’s my fault. I don’t like Max. Almost all of us are from Romagna while he is from Rome. I don’t like the way he arranges interviews; On top of that, I’m also a big fan of Capirossi and I really liked Romboni.”

“When I arrived at the World Cup, I said these things to the journalists. I think he is not happy. Anyway, he’s top in Italian motorcycling and I said I don’t like him. The relationship started badly, but it was my fault“added ’46’.

Rossi explained that, in 1997, the first disagreement between them came: “That year, Biaggi went from Aprilia to Honda on 250cc. Everyone said he won thanks to the Italian bike and I supported the idea. When we arrived at Suzuka, we met at the same restaurant. Max was having dinner with some journalists When I passed him He called me ‘Max Biaggi of 125cc’. I replied: ‘Here’s the 250cc Valentino Rossi’”.

Years later, at Motegi (Japan), there was a second confrontation: “I went up the elevator alone. Biaggi and his physiotherapist Marino Laghi arrived. This is the time when we often laugh at ourselves. Max asked me, ‘Why are you breaking my balls like that?’ I don’t remember my answer, but I felt the attack. He put his feet on my head. Since then, I’ve always been wary of elevators…“.

Very tense moment in Barcelona

He Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunyain 2001the scene of the third meeting between the two riders, as Rossi explained: “In 2000 I beat Biaggi in my first year in 500cc, I put myself ahead of him. 2001 was a real fight; he was competitive and the Yamaha is going strong. At Suzuka he tried to pass me, I caught him, gave him the finger and beat him.”.

Valentino added that “we arrived in Barcelona. I was in pole position, but I started badly and I approached Crivillé. I was 15th, but I came back and caught Biaggi. It’s a fight to the death. Max was tough, but I was faster and I won. After the parc ferme, I was in the room under the podium talking to Gibo, my manager. Biaggi approached him, pushed him and then slapped him in the face.. Then he climbed the stairs to the podium. I asked him what he was doing and He told me to go up, which was for me too. He was red, angry like a hyena. We had half a fight. “We didn’t really fight, then they separated us and that’s it.”