Sylvain Guintoli

Read about Sylvain Guintoli, including career highlights, pictures and news of the road racer right here at Motorcycle USA.

French motorcycle road racer Sylvain Guintoli began his professional career as a scooter racer in France. He arrived on the 250GP scene as a wildcard rider in 2000. He then joined the series full-time the year after. In 2002 he became a back-up rider for the Gauloises Yamaha Tech 3 Team, which then competed on the now extinct Yamaha YZR500 two-stroke. Guintolli was only given one opportunity to race that season at the Czech Republic round, where he finished in 17th-place.

The following season he reentered full-time competition with the Aprilia team in the 250GP class. He would continue with the team for four consecutive years, culminating with a ninth-place finish overall at the end of 2006. The year after, the Frenchmen returned to the MotoGP class aboard a Tech 3 Yamaha M1. In 2008, he switched to the Pramac Ducati team, finishing in 13th at the end of the season.

Unable to secure a premier GP ride, Guintoli moved to the British Superbike Championship (BSB) for 2009 with the Worx Crescent Suzuki Team. Guintoli started the season strong but broke his leg early in his campaign, forcing him out of competition until the final round in Portugal.

The 28-year-old then competed in the 2010 World Superbike Championship aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000 fielded by the Alstare Suzuki Racing Team. The Frenchman managed quite well, finishing seventh overall through consistent top-10 finishes. The following season Guintoli nabbed three podiums after moving to the non-factory Liberty Racing Team with a Ducati 1198 F10. The Frenchman finished sixth overall in the championship – the highest finish in his World Superbike career.
 
For 2012 Guintoli is returning to WSB with Liberty Racing.