MAX BIAGGI WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY PODIUM FINISH AT SEPANG
THIRD PLACE FOR TORRES IN RACE 2
Sepang (Malaysia), 2 August 2015 - In the Malaysian World Superbike round Max Biaggi, with a race strategy worthy of a multiple world champion, took third place astride his Aprilia RSV4 RF. It was an extraordinary result taken in Race 1 at his second wild card of the season, three years after retiring from racing and at 44 years of age. Begun as an exciting and impossible challenge with his participation in the Misano race, Biaggi's return astride his Aprilia has now been solidified with an exceptional result, his 71st SBK podium.
Max, who started from the second row thanks to his excellent performance in the qualifiers, battled with the official Aprilia riders for fourth place in the first part of the race. After overcoming Haslam and Torres, Biaggi focused on pushing hard, maintaining a fast and consistent pace which allowed him to look after his tyres and, above all, make a brilliant comeback against Sykes who had begun to drop back and lose contact with Rea and Davies. After an impressive progression it was in the final, exciting lap that Biaggi overtook the Brit, taking third place and stepping onto the podium for the first time since Portimão in 2012, the last full season of his career.
Having trouble managing their tyres, Torres and Haslam finished Race 1 far from the podium after having been protagonists at the beginning of the race on fresh tyres. The Aprilia Racing – Red Devils riders finished seventh (Haslam) and tenth (Torres).
In Race 2, with Biaggi crashing out due to contact with Sykes after an excellent start that had placed him in the lead at the first turn, it was Jordi Torres who held the Aprilia colours high with a third place finish. The Spaniard's second podium of the season can at the end of an extremely consistent race where he broke away from the group and managed his placement behind Davies and Rea. Haslam was a bit behind again, finishing in seventh with tyre management troubles.