If you read Mat Oxley’s post about the battle between nine-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi and current champ Marc Márquez, you got just a taste of the duels Rossi has fought during his career. And few compare to the rivalry between Rossi and Max Biaggi both on track and off.
The conflict began in the late 90s, before either racer had ascended to the top tier of motorcycle racing. When they did, the result was some of the greatest wheel-to-wheel action of the early 2000s, kicking off with an incident at the 2001 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka where Biaggi pushed Rossi off the track at over 150 MPH.
This was followed up at the Catalunya race with reports of scuffle between the two after Rossi took home the win. From the Telegraph at the time:
Rossi said there was a “bit of pushing and shoving” after Biaggi had bumped into his manager. Biaggi, however, appeared in the post-race press conference with marks on his face.
Biaggi said the marks “must have been caused by a mosquito”, but the race steward’s view of the incident was different.
And that was just the beginning.
MotoGP put together a highlight real of the Rossi and Biaggi years, complete with all the action and some smart commentary. Enjoy it with some pasta.