Max Biaggi has a reputation for making history. During the nineties the remarkable Italian became the first man to wear four consecutive 250 World Championship crowns, and in 1998 he became the first rider in a quarter of a century to win first time out on a 500. This year he races his second MotoGP season with Honda, who helped him to his fourth 250 title in 1997. One of racing's all-time greats, ultra-determined, smooth-riding Biaggi has scored more than 40 GP wins and 50 pole positions.

Considering the success he has enjoyed, it is perhaps surprising that Biaggi was no boy racer. As a child he was football crazy and dreamed of playing for AC Roma. Indeed he's still a regular player, taking part in numerous charity matches with fellow celebrities. Biaggi got into racing purely by chance, when a friend invited him to a local racetrack in 1988. Within two years he was Italian Sport Production champion, alerting the attention of Aprilia bosses, who signed him to contest the '91 250 European Championship. He won that title to gain promotion to full-time GP duties in '92, when he took his first win.

Biaggi switched to Honda for '93, joining Erv Kanemoto's Honda squad but tyre problems troubled him. The following season he rejoined Aprilia to score his first World Championship success. Biaggi towered over the next three years, winning eight GPs in '95 and nine in '96. But he secured his most impressive title in '97 when he returned to Kanemoto Honda and started at a disadvantage after making a late start to pre-season testing. He recovered brilliantly to clinch his fourth crown at the final race.

Biaggi stayed with Kanemoto for his move to 500s in 1998. He made an instant impact, taking a runaway win at the season-opening Japanese GP, and finishing second overall to class-master Mick Doohan (Honda). In 1999 he switched to Yamaha, building up to speed to end the year fourth overall with one win. An injury-hit start to his 2000 campaign prevented him from challenging for the title, but the following year he enjoyed an enthralling battle for the last-ever 500 World Championship with bitter rival Valentino Rossi (Honda), eventually ending up a close second.

In 2002 Biaggi raced and developed Yamaha's new four-stroke MotoGP bike, winning two GPs to retain his runner-up spot before announcing that he would return to Honda for 2002, riding for Sito Pons' Camel Honda outfit. Last year brought more successes, including two more MotoGP wins to put him third overall, but Biaggi was determined to score more victories in 2004, a year that could be his best shot ever at winning's premier World Championship. Nevertheless after a strong start Biaggi had some set-up problems but managed to finish, once again, in third overall scoring a brilliant victory at the Sachsenring. His determination was noticed by the HRC and Max was finally given a full factory RCV for 2005. Riding for Repsol Honda, Biaggi will be definitely be a forced to be reckoned with in the hunt for the ultimate prize.

When he's not racing, Biaggi is a big car enthusiast - a few years back he was lucky enough to be given a test drive in Michael Schumacher's F1 Ferrari - and a big fan of football and US Supercross.