This weekend, in Most (Czech Republic), SERT will fight for the world title. Sylvain Guintoli, the rookie of the crew formed with Black and Simeon, winner of the two 24-hour races this season, makes a first assessment, before getting down to business on the track.
On the eve of the last race of the season in Most, you are in contention for the world title, having won both 24 Hour races. Did you expect to be so “comfortable” when you started out in Endurance racing?
Comfortable, that might not be the word. I expected it to be difficult, it was extremely difficult. Fortunately, being part of a team like SERT, having teammates like mine has helped a lot. Above all, to hang the victory in these two races, the first year, it is phenomenal. Like I said, they’re extremely difficult, a lot can happen in them. Discovering these races is the fulfillment of a dream.
At the Bol d’Or, you did not lack praise on the SERT …
They are one of the best operations teams I have ever worked with. There is a rigor of work, but also an atmosphere which is excellent. There are a lot of ingredients that are good in this team. Already in a sprint, it is important, but in Endurance, it is all the more important. Because these are very trying races. The preparation, the prevailing atmosphere, is very important, to avoid mistakes being made, to keep everyone focused. It’s a real great team.
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Sylvain Guintoli, winner at Le Mans and Bol d’Or, made an excellent start in Endurance. © Arnaud Despelchain
In MotoGP, Superbike, sprint, of course you have a team spirit. You have the mechanics, the mechanics, the engineers. You have that team spirit. But in endurance, it’s all the stronger because you have this length, this difficulty. It’s not just the physical that comes into play, there is also the mind. And that’s what makes a bond with the team. It is the nature of the races that makes this atmosphere in the team different. We feel that everyone is going to look very far.
Does this first season make you want to continue in Endurance?
The idea is to continue. It went very well this year. It’s a great adventure, and we want to persevere.
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Sylvain Guintoli, winner at Le Mans and Bol d’Or, made an excellent start in Endurance. © Arnaud Despelchain
Has the experience of MotoGP, Superbike helped you in your approach to Endurance?
There are a lot of different things: the tires, the motorcycle. on the other hand, whether on MotoGP, Superbike … There are always parallels, ideas, things that are found to improve performance, feel. Not forgetting that an Endurance motorcycle, it is a Superbike with lights. But every experience is important. MotoGP is still extreme, because it is very fast, because the brakes, all these details are different. There is still a balance to be tried to find which is similar to any motorcycle. If a motorcycle is well balanced, it is well balanced. And MotoGP, which is very demanding, helps in that.
You also impressed, with your physical preparation. How fast do you train?
The less you make yourself young, the more you have to train (laughs)! I train regularly at home, it’s a bit of my daily life. And then there are the tracks: Endurance, MotoGP. I also do a little mini-motorbike at home. But I do sport quite a bit in general. That being said, it is true that the 24 Hours races, and even Estoril where it was very hot, is physically difficult. We are really flushed, we have to hang on. But more than a physical preparation, it is an attitude. You have to hang on. Mentally, it’s a real challenge.
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Sylvain Guintoli, winner at Le Mans and Bol d’Or, made an excellent start in Endurance. © Arnaud Despelchain
Didn’t this scare you, this difficulty, when you started in Endurance?
I knew it would be difficult. But maybe not as much. It was a challenge that I wanted to take on. Being French, I wanted to win Le Mans, the Bol d’Or. It was one of the mythical events that I wanted to do and try to win! In the 24 Hours races, it was great.
But, intelligent work, with SERT, with Yosh, complementarity… This is always found in the results. We were lucky, too, everything fit together. And in the 24 Hours races, it was great.
What are the pitfalls of the Most circuit?
It’s a very different circuit from Paul-Ricard. It couldn’t be more different! It’s a very short circuit, with few straights. Old fashioned finally. It reminds me a bit of the circuits in England. It is not easy to learn at all. Very physical. It will be very physical, fortunately it will only last 6 hours, because we do not have too much time to breathe. As it is quite small, especially for Superbikes, you are on the bike all the time. You can’t let her do what she wants. After that, he will not stay in the big circuits on which I have driven (smile).
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