Interview Sylvain Guintoli: the Suzuka 8H, we’re going to win !

Our 2014 Superbike world champion Sylvain Guintoli, who races the brand new GSX-R1000 in British Superbike this season, will take part in the 2017 Suzuka 8 Hours with the legendary Suzuki Yoshimura team. Interview.

Sylvain Guintoli is getting ready to ride another surprisingly sharp Suzuki racing motorcycle on another legendary circuit !

Our will indeed travel to Japan at the end of July to participate in the 40th edition of the famous Japanese endurance event: the! Official Suzuki rider in British Superbike this year, "Guinters" will take control of the prepared by the venerable team Yoshimura.

The Japanese team has already won the Suzuka 8H on four occasions: in 1978 (the very first edition!), In 1980, in 2007 and in 2009. In 2017, it lined up alongside our dear Guintoli another great name of the Superbike: Josh Brookes, crowned in 2015 in Great Britain. Yes, the same "Bad Boy" who broke Sylvain’s leg before the third BSB 2009 test…

Entered with Yosh ‘in the Japanese SBK championship, Takuya Tsuda will complete the crew again this year. Along with Brookes and Haga (Noriyuki, who else?), The Japanese pilot had ridden. Objective this year with Guintoli: victory !

Site: Hi Sylvain, how are you ?
Sylvain Guintoli: It’s okay, nickel. I have a little rest after three or four hectic weeks! I have no competition this weekend, it will be good to recharge the batteries a bit. But it will start again for the month of July, it will be hot again with the 8 Hours of Suzuka at the end of the month…

MNC: Congratulations !
S. G .: Yes thanks. It’s a great race! It’s been a while since I wanted to participate. There, with the Suzuki, with Yoshimura, it’s a great opportunity to try to be competitive. It will be a great challenge.

MNC: You could hardly have found better! Team Yoshimura has won four times and is regularly on the podium. The team’s objective, this year again, is to win !
S. G .: Yes, we are going there to win, with the of course! In fact this is the bike I tested in Sepang in January. We will have new tests in July, with a fairly busy schedule, and the race in stride on the 30th. It will be interesting because it’s a very difficult race: there have always been great drivers, but in recent years the big names are jostling each other. There are people, beautiful motorcycles, it’s a beautiful event !

MNC: You have already been able to test the endurance bike. Does it have anything in common with your BSB machine ?
S. G .: Well, it’s the same basic bike, the. After that, it is true that there are many differences. The electronics already have nothing to do since in endurance you can use the system that is going well, "Factory". They are not the same tires, not the same suspensions. The endurance motorcycle is equipped with headlights, a large 24 liter tank, the factory swingarm…

• 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000R Review :

MNC: Could we say that the GSX-R Yoshimura is sharper than your BSB motorcycle? ?
S. G .: Let’s say they are different. In BSB, the electronics are controlled and basic (no traction control, no anti wheelie) … It is very, very basic, the exact opposite of endurance which is completely open.

MNC: We are getting closer to what you experienced in MotoGP on the GSX-RR ?
S. G .: It’s even better than that since the unique electronic box is de rigueur in Grand Prix. In Endurance, you can use the strategies and equipment that existed before in MotoGP. It has remained more open than MotoGP.

MNC: So you already know the bike a bit … But when was your last ride in Suzuka? ?
S. G .: Ah it goes up a bit (laughs). I know the circuit, but I haven’t been back for a while. So it’s good to have upstream tests.

MNC: It will be on site…
S. G .: Here, it will allow to find a little speed on the circuit which I already know, of the time when I ran in "two-and-a-half", it was thus a long time ago (11 years, editor’s note!). But we have a big testing program, so I don’t worry about the circuit. The team is based there, so they already have a lot of references.

MNC: Did you like this circuit? He looks sublime !
S. G .: Ah it’s a magnificent circuit, it has always been one of the favorites of the "pilots" in quotes. It is one of the best circuits in the world. That’s also why I’m happy to go back, it’s a special, fabulous, atypical track.

MNC: The one you maybe like a little less – or your fans don’t like – is Josh Brookes, your future teammate. ?!
S. G .: (smiles) Yeah, yeah … The accident happened a long time ago.

MNC: Water has flowed under the bridges…
S. G .: Exactly. It’s exactly that. Our job is dangerous, falls and collisions happen. Even if it’s not very pleasant at the time (smiles), you have to know how to let go at some point. It is not a problem for me. Josh is a driver who has experience on this circuit, he has already ridden twice with Yoshimura I believe (he finished 2nd and 3rd, so he is also aiming for victory, Editor’s note). It’s important to have an experienced crew, which brings something.

MNC: It’s good for you too: by teaming up with Josh you are sure he won’t cut you in half on the track….
S. G .: (bursts of laughter, because Sylvain is a boy who has taste: he appreciates our humor) Yes, I had not seen him like that but it’s a good remark !

MNC: Thank you Sylvain. Bravo again and see you soon !
S. G .: Thanks to you. See you !

Related articles

• MotoGP – Interview Sylvain Guintoli: Riding in MotoGP with Rossi? My son can’t believe it! – Used SUZUKI

  Interview Sylvain Guintoli: Riding MotoGP with Rossi? My son can’t believe it ! The announcement of Sylvain Guintoli’s participation in the next French…

• Suzuka 8H – Guintoli at Suzuka 8H 2019 with Kagayama and Watanabe – Used SUZUKI

  Guintoli at Suzuka 8H 2019 with Kagayama and Watanabe As every year since 2017, our 2014 Superbike world champion Sylvain Guintoli, Suzuki MotoGP test…

• WSBK – Sylvain Guintoli will ride at Alstare Suzuki in 2010! –

  Sylvain Guintoli will ride at Alstare Suzuki in 2010 ! Author of a very disappointing 2009 season, the Alstare Suzuki team intends to do much better in…

• MotoGP – Interview with Sylvain Guintoli, Ducati rider in MotoGP –

  Interview with Sylvain Guintoli, Ducati rider in MotoGP By integrating Team Alice, Sylvain Guintoli thought he would open up radiant horizons: with a…

• WSBK – Sylvain Guintoli back in British Superbike 2017 with Suzuki – Used SUZUKI

  Sylvain Guintoli back in British Superbike 2017 with Suzuki French rider Sylvain Guintoli, ousted from the 2017 Superbike world scene in favor of Michael…

• Portraits – Guintoli interview: not really surprised by the MotoGP titles of Mir and the Suzuki team – Used SUZUKI

  Guintoli interview: not really surprised by the MotoGP titles of Mir and the Suzuki team Following the 2020 coronations of Joan Mir and his Suzuki Ecstar…

• Portraits – Interview with Sylvain Guintoli, MotoGP test rider … and YouTuber! – Used SUZUKI

  Interview with Sylvain Guintoli, MotoGP test rider … and YouTuber ! With a MotoGP to develop and five children to raise, Sylvain Guintoli already had a…

• WSBK – Interview Sylvain Barrier (WSBK): we will be able to do very good races –

  Interview Sylvain Barrier (WSBK): we can do some great races A few days before the last WSBK tests and one week before the opening of the 29th Superbike…

• Market reports – Suzuki La Defense interview: our customers have been extremely loyal – Used SUZUKI

  Suzuki La Defense interview: our customers have been extremely loyal In addition to the 2020 market figures and for its fourth dealer interview, Site…

• WSBK – [Video] Guintoli has fun in MotoGP and must decline WorldSBK – Used SUZUKI

  [Video] Guintoli has fun in MotoGP and must decline WorldSBK Upon learning that the – too – young rookie of the Suzuki Grillini team could not…