Yamaha: No interest in Biaggi.

Yet another door appears to have closed in Max Biaggi's face, with his former employer Yamaha - one of the most significant manufacturers still to confirm its 2006 rider line-up - stating that they have no interest in working with the Roman.

With Biaggi's already slim chances of staying on a Honda appearing to disappear further by the day - and with the factory Ducati, Suzuki and Kawasaki seats already occupied - Yamaha looked like Biaggi's last hope of landing a decent 2006 ride.

Although a return to a factory M1 is out of the question - Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards will again be factory riders next year - it was thought that Camel money may have helped Biaggi seal a satellite M1 seat, perhaps with Tech 3, whose own future appears uncertain after losing title sponsor Fortuna - and star rider Toni Elias - to Team Gresini.

After making his 500cc debut on a Kanemoto Honda in 1998, when he won two races, Biaggi switched to the factory Yamaha outfit the following season - and would remain with the then Marlboro backed team until the end of 2002.

Biaggi won a total of eight races with Yamaha, including two with the YZR-M1 (lower pic), and finished championship runner-up on two occasions but - in a near repeat of his current situation - criticisms of his machinery led Yamaha to end their relationship, something Biaggi was happy to do, having made clear that he wanted an RCV.

Max rode for the next two-years with Camel Honda, winning three races and finishing third in the championship, before getting a 'dream' factory ride with Repsol Honda for 2005. But that dream soon turned into a nightmare and Biaggi ended the season fifth in the championship, with zero wins and only four podiums.

The 34-year-old has been replaced by Dani Pedrosa for 2006, but looked set to return to Camel Honda - thanks to his close links with the sponsor. However, this seems to have been vetoed by HRC, prompting Camel and Biaggi to search for a seat elsewhere.

With that in mind, Crash.net asked Yamaha if "there is any chance that Biaggi could be back on a Yamaha next year?"

The reply, from a Yamaha spokesperson, was as follows: "Yamaha has no plan or intention to work with Biaggi."

Biaggi's best hope thus remains that he, Camel and Honda can somehow reach a compromise - but with Casey Stoner and Carlos Checa riding for Pons at the Valencia test that looks very unlikely, although Pons has yet to officially announce a 2006 rider line-up.

The only other potentially competitive to-be-announced seats are at the satellite D'Antin Ducati squad - but James Ellison, Jose Luis Cardoso and Roby Rolfo are the main contenders for Luis D'Antin's two Desmosedicis.