The weekend starts off on the right foot for World SBK Champion Max Biaggi. Third place time of the day for him, a first step toward the double rider-manufacturer championship for the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team.

In spite of the discouraging forecasts, not a single drop of rain fell to disrupt the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team's work on the French Magny Cours circuit. The last weekend of the 2010 Superbike season could very well bring Aprilia the manufacturer title after Max Biaggi's coronation in the rider championship: so it is very important to make a decisive mark right from the first practice sessions.
The clock smiles on the five-time champion, even though he is bothered by a touch of the flu which keeps him from feeling up to his usual perfect condition. The third place time of 1'38.972 is just a tenth of a second slower than the leader, Lanzi, but more importantly, Max's times are very consistent and confirm the Roman champion's feeling on the French track with his RSV4.

All hopes are concentrated on the weather now, both for tomorrow's Superpole and for the races on Sunday. A dry track could facilitate yet another shining result for the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team in this 2010 season.

The five-time champion, Max Biaggi does not hide his physical problems: "In spite of the times, which are very good, I'm worried about this flu. I was able to express myself the way I wanted to on the track, but I'm getting off the bike very, very tired. Overall we have found a good setup. The only thing left to do now is fine tune it tomorrow and hope for good weather. Then, if I can just wake up tomorrow feeling better physically, that would be the best, since we still have another goal to reach, the cherry on the top which is the Manufacturer title. It would be the just reward for the team and for all of Aprilia after the celebration of my rider victory in the Italian bedlam of Imola.”