In 2002 Michel arrived on the world scene when he was given a ride on a Gilera in the 125 GP championship but results were disappointing and he was only able to score a handful of points. Team Alstare Suzuki Italia then offered the young Italian rider the chance to race in the European Superstock category in 2003 and he immediately found his feet, repaying the faith shown in him by taking the title at the age of 19, winning four of the season's nine rounds. In 2004 Michel moved back to the World Road-Racing Championship, but this time on a WCM machine in the MotoGP class. The year was unfortunately not an easy one for Michel who finished in twenty-second position. Hopeful of greater success in the World Supersport championship, Michel signed with Team Italia Megabike for 2005 and rode his Honda to the podium on five occasions, including second place finishes at Brno and Brands Hatch. He closed the season in fifth position overall.
This was followed in 2006 by a move up to the World Superbike category where Michel rode the Honda CBR 1000RR as part of the DFX Corse team, where he then remained for the 2007 season, finishing both seasons in eleventh position. In 2006 he stepped up to the podium at Assen (third place) and Brno (second and third place), the Brno results all the more impressive bearing in mind that Michel was racing with a broken collarbone, and in 2007 he returned to the Brno podium, with a third place finish, his only top three finish that season.
In 2008, his debut season with the Ducati Xerox Team, Michel was on board a Ducati - the 1098 F08 - for the first time and got off to a good start, scoring his first podium place at Phillip Island, Round 2. In what was his best World Superbike season yet, Michel was regularly one of the front-runners and achieved seven podium finishes, including a second place in front of his home crowd at Vallelunga, another at the new Portimao track and a second and third place at Brno, the track at which he has had the most success over recent years. He concluded the championship in eighth position.
The following year, and now teamed with Noriyuki Haga, Michel did not make a real impact until the third round in Valencia where he stepped up to the podium in both races. After this there was no stopping him and thirteen further podiums ensued, including his first Superbike victory at Monza and subsequent wins at Ducati's home track of Imola (where he also took his first pole) and at final round Portimao. His consistently strong results placed him third in the championship after four rounds, and he held this position for the rest of the season, a contender for the title up until the twelfth round at Imola. Michel closed the championship in a solid third position overall, 74 points behind Noriyuki and 63 points ahead of fellow Roman Max Biaggi points ahead of fellow Roman Max Biaggi.
First race: 2006 Qatar
First pole position: Imola 2009
First fastest lap: 2008 Brno
First podium: 2006 Brno
First win: Monza 2009
Races / podiums: 105 / 26
Wins / 2nd / 3rd: 3 / 10 / 13
Pole positions: 1
Front row starts: 13
Fastest laps: 8
Total points: 862
