2014 SBK Champ Sylvain Guintoli Signs with Pata Honda

2014 SBK Champ Sylvain Guintoli Signs with Pata Honda
Sylvain Guintoli
2014 SBK Champ Sylvain Guintoli Signs with Pata Honda
Sylvain Guintoli

Sylvain Guintoli News

A day after securing the 2014 World Superbike Championship with Aprilia Racing Team, Sylvain Guintoli has signed with Pata Honda.

The 32-year-old Frenchman will pilot the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP superbike alongside 2014 World Supersport Champion Michael van der Mark in the 2015 World Superbike Championship.

Guintoli, who lives in the UK with his wife Caroline and four children, has a total nine World SBK wins, five which arrived this season: Phillip Island in Australia, Assen in the Netherlands, his home round of Magny-Cours in France, and a double race win in Qatar. All together, Guintoli has 40 WSBK podium finishes.

Although the 2015 season will be Guintoli’s first ride for Honda, he has a strong historical relationship with the team’s title partner Pata, having ridden for a Pata-sponsored Ducati team in 2012, taking two race victories to finish seventh that season in the World Superbike standings, Pata Honda reports.

The announcement of Guintoli’s appointment to the Pata Honda World Superbike team and his new partnership with 2014 World Supersport champion, Michael van der Mark, means that the team will bid farewell to both Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam. The team reports that the entire Pata Honda team and Honda Motor Europe offer their very best wishes to both riders in the future careers.

Rea has joined the Kawasaki Racing Team for 2015. As for Haslam, he has yet to sign with any teams for 2015 Superbike.

Sylvain Guintoli says: “The events of this season and especially last night are still buzzing in my head, but I’m delighted to be joining the Honda family and to be reuniting with Pata. The last time we worked together was a very unexpected but successful partnership.

“I brought Pata their first victories and we have a strong relationship. I’m looking forward to tackling this new challenge and I can’t wait to get going. Johnny [Rea] has obviously been strong on the Honda all season, and sometimes he’s been very strong! So I think there is definitely a big potential with the bike and I think the new rules for next year will suit it.

“So for us this is good news and I can’t wait to understand how it works; but it looks like a really good package and I’m looking forward to getting the first impressions soon.”

Ronald ten Kate (Team Manager, Pata Honda) says “In many ways it’s the end of an era, but it’s the start of a new one, too, and I think 2015 is going to be a really exciting season for us. I’m really delighted that we are able to welcome Sylvain to the Pata Honda team for his first ride with Honda.

“He has a great record in the World Superbike championship and has performed really well this season to come back from a big deficit and win the title yesterday in style. With Mikey [van der Mark] on the other side of the garage I believe we have that perfect blend of youth and experience that all team managers aim for. We have an intensive winter testing schedule planned and I honestly can’t wait for next season to start.”

Sylvain Guintoli Profile

  • Date of birth 24 June 1982
  • Height 179cm
  • Weight 65kg
  • Place of birth Montélimar, France
  • Home town Market Bosworth, UK
  • Race number 50
  • Race machine Pata Honda CBR1000RR
  • First race 2000
  • World Superbike debut 2009 – Portimao, Portugal
  • World Superbike races 129
  • World Superbike pole positions 4
  • First World Superbike podium 2011 – Miller Motorsports Park, USA
  • Total World Superbike podiums 40
  • First World Superbike win 2012 – Assen, the Netherlands
  • Total World Superbike wins 9

Sylvain Guintoli Career Highlights

  • 2000 250cc French champion
  • 3rd, 250cc European championship
  • 2001 14th, 250cc world championship
  • 2002 Test rider – Yamaha GP
  • 2003 10th, 250cc world championship – Aprilia
  • 2004 14th, 250cc world championship – Aprilia
  • 2005 10th, 250cc world championship – Aprilia
  • 2006 9th, 250cc world championship – Aprilia
  • 2007 16th, MotoGP world championship – Yamaha
  • 2008 13th, MotoGP world championship – Ducati
  • 2009 8th, British Superbike championship – Suzuki
  • 2010 7th, World Superbike championship – Suzuki
  • 2011 6th, World Superbike championship – Ducati
  • 2012 7th, World Superbike championship – Ducati
  • 2013 3rd, World Superbike championship – Aprilia
  • 2014 World Superbike champion – Aprilia

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