Max Biaggi’s memory on Valentino Rossi anniversary: “We literally hated each other!”
On April 18, 2004, Rossi won the Africa Moto✱GP at Welkom after an enthralling battle from start to finish with ಞBiaggi.
Rossi made history as the first-ever rider to win consecutive premie𒀰r class races wཧith different manufacturers.
He 🤪had left Honda and was making his Yamaha debut in South Africa and, starting from pole position, he fended off Biaggi.
They exchanged a brief and awkward handshake afterwards. Ross🅺i would go on to win four MotoGP cha༺mpionships with Yamaha.
Nineteen𒅌 years later, Biaggi reflected: “The rivalry with Valentino is old, but how I miss it!
“Today I only have g♚ood memorie🐼s even if we literally hated each other.
“Having been Valentiniano or Biaggista doesn'ꦜt matter now, but it was important that every fan identified with one of usꦿ and, through us, learned to love a unique and incredibly exciting sport. What a great story.”
Biaggi, now 51, has previously summarised his iconic feud with Rossi: “Now I think we were two idiots who waged war against each other thr🎃ough the press instead of clarifying in person how we should have done.”
James was a sports journa𒉰list at Sky Sports for a 💞decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
