British Superbike News

Sylvain Guintoli - MotoGP 2008

Sylvain Guintoli has moved to the British Superbike series for the 2009 season after two years in MotoGP.  The French rider raced for the Tech 3 Yamaha team in 2007 before being signed-up to ride the Ducati Desmocedici in 2008.

Guintoli did make a single appearance in the MotoGP in 2002 for Yamaha until he broke his collarbone in testing, eliminating him for several weeks but he has spent most of his career 250cc World Championship on private bikes.

The 26-year-old, yesterday, made his debut on the GSX-R1000 Suzuki at Brands Hatch, he said

“It has been a very good day and I am happy with how it has gone despite it not being the best conditions on track as it was damp.  I feel that I am going to work well with the team, the bike is very different to what I have been riding this year and I think it has great potential.  I think that I am going to adapt my riding style every time I ride it.

The riding position is very different from what I’m used to on the Ducati MotoGP bike I rode this year.  On that bike if feels like you are more sat in it while on the GSX-R, you feel like you are sat on top rather than in the bike.  I expected it to feel a bit like this after testing the Yamaha R1 at Valelunga a month ago and that felt the same.

I like the brakes and suspension but the weather is still very damp so I don’t want to be pushing too hard.  We might soften up the front a little bit because it is a bit firm and I’m getting very little feel from the front end but I really like the traction control.

The only problem is I can’t hear the sound of the engine – I think it’s because the Ducati MotoGP bike has deafened me slightly.”

It was the first time that Guintoli had ever ridden at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, and is looking forward to learning the other tracks.

He added,

“The only circuit I know on the BSB calendar is Donington Park as I have been there with MotoGP; all the other tracks will be completely new to me.  We are going to try and ride as many as we can over the winter so that I can learn them before we go there, this will be the main thing and once I have done this I will be ready.  There are some circuits I have been told are quite tough such as Cadwell Park, the one with the mountain, but I am looking forward to the new challenge.”