Max Biaggi and Hugh Anderson join Jorge Lorenzo on 2020 MotoGP Legends list

Max Biaggi and Hugh Anderson will join Jorge Lorenzo in becoming MotoGP Legends this season. 

Biaggi dominated the 250cc class in the 90s, winning four consecutive titles between 1994 and 1997. The Italian won 13 races in the premier class and finished as runner-up in MotoGP on three occasions. 

Biaggi switched to World Superbike in 2007 and enjoyed even more success. The 48-year-old won the title with Aprilia in 2010 and 2012, becoming the only Italian to win the WSB championship. Biaggi now leads the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team in Moto3 and continues to test for Aprilia. 

“I’m honoured to become a MotoGP Legend and know that my name will be up there forever with other important racers like Agostini, Aspar, Nieto and Sheene,” Biaggi said. “I’m happy that my racing legacy will always be remembered and it’s a good feeling that knowing all of my years of hard work are still being recognised, even today. I would like to thank everyone who decided to give me this honour.”

Biaggi will be inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame at Mugello in May. In this week’s MCN we speak to Biaggi about his retirement and return to racing as a team manager. 

Anderson is a two-time 50cc and 125cc world champion. The New Zealander also appeared in the 500cc class and was a podium finisher in the 1960 300cc championship. During a six-year career Anderson won 25 races and four titles. 

Anderson commented: “How I felt when receiving the news? At first, apprehension: do my relatively modest achievements warrant this honour? Will I, can I, do justice to this invitation?

“Some hours later I felt a feelgood sensation envelope me. A gratification that after all this time the modern world has not forgotten the past and the riders of a very much different era still have some value. A question of the history of our sport being recognised at the highest level. Thank you.”

The location and date for Anderson’s induction into the Hall of Fame have not been revealed.

It was announced that Lorenzo would become a MotoGP Legend on the day he announced his retirement from the sport. Lorenzo is one of the most successful riders in the modern era and is the only rider to have defeated Marc Marquez in the premier class. 

Lorenzo won the 250cc championship on two occasions and became a premier class champion on three occasions. The 32-year-old won MotoGP races with Yamaha and Ducati, but was unable win during a injury-hit year with Honda. Lorenzo’s injuries were the main reason behind his retirement. 

“To be named a MotoGP Legend makes me extremely happy,” Lorenzo said. “When I began competing in this world, what I really aspired to do was to get into the World Championship. To be able to win races and then five World Championships is something that far outweighs what I expected, and to be a MotoGP Legend is something even more difficult to achieve.”

Lorenzo will be inducted at Jerez, the circuit where he made his Grand Prix debut at the age of 15, in May. 

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