In case international travel ever opens up again, you will want to get yourself to Italy as soon as possible and ride one of the world’s most iconic tracks: Mugello.
I can tell you from personal experience, the Tuscan venue is unlike any other, and 200 mph wheelies never get old (though, they may take years off your life).
We have already talked about how Sylvain Guintoli is a keen asset for the Suzuki MotoGP program, and a leading contribution in the development of the Suzuki GSX-RR race bike.
World championship motorcycle racing takes another step back to the season returning at Misano.
The next three days sees both MotoGP and WorldSBK teams testing at the Italian circuit, preparing for the resumption of hostilities at Jerez in July and August.
Present are the MotoGP teams of KTM and Aprilia, allowed extra testing due to their status as concessions teams. Aleix Espargaro and Bradley Smith are riding for Aprilia, the second test for the Italian factory.
The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated motorcycle racing in many different ways, some quite unexpected. To address some of those complications, the Grand Prix Commission, MotoGP’s rulemaking body, agreed a number of exceptions to the rules for the 2020 season, concerning wildcards, concerning concession points, and concerning engine development.
Engine development had already been frozen in response to the coronavirus crisis. In part as a cost-cutting measure, and in part because the European manufacturers had had their factories closed, all six MSMA members agreed to halt engine development and use the engines they were due to homologate for the 2020 season for the start of the 2021 season.
Even if you missed our live chat on YouTube with Sylvain Guintoli last week, you still might have caught on that we are really enjoying the videos that the former WorldSBK champion has been making lately.
With a wide-ranging resumé on two wheels, including being the current factory test rider for the Suzuki MotoGP team, Sylvain is perhaps over-qualified to be the newest social media influencer for the motorcycle industry, but that is also what makes his explanations on YouTube so great.
Speaking with first-hand knowledge (and in various languages), as well as delivering his experiences in a clear format, Sylvain has been boiling down high-level topics on motorcycle riding.
Got big plans for the coming weekend? Of course you don’t, you’re probably stuck inside like the rest of us. But, we can help with that and ease your motorcycle cravings at the same time.
On Saturday, May 2nd at 8am PDT / 5pm CEST, Asphalt & Rubber will be sitting down with former WorldSBK champion and current MotoGP test rider Sylvain Guintoli, for a live chat on YouTube.
We will be talking a bit about Sylvain’s racing career, as well as his new efforts on YouTube, which have seen him making great videos that provide motorcycle riding advice to the masses.
Sylvain Guintoli continues to make YouTube gold during the coronavirus lockdown, producing some great informational videos to help you when you get back on the race track.
Today’s edition sees the Frenchman breaking down how to use the rear brake on the race track.
Unlike Guintoli’s last installment, which was geared more towards beginning track riders, today Guinters tackles a pretty high-level topic for experienced track riders and racers, though we think riders of all skill levels will benefit from hearing it.
Sylvain Guintoli is crushing it on YouTube right now, as the former WorldSBK champion continues to pump out insightful videos about riding motorcycles while the world is stuck at home.
If you missed his explanation on why racers dangle their leg during braking, you should go watch it right now. It is the most exhaustive and complete breakdown on the subject that we have seen to date, and Guintoli combines his unique experience with clear explanations.
Moving ahead, the Frenchman is back with another video about riding technique, though this one is geared not so much towards racers and high-level track riders.
Instead, we think it fits well for intermediate-level riders who want to work on their track skills.
Ever since Valentino Rossi let his leg fly free in the wind, people have been trying to explain the advantages of the “leg dangle” in motorcycle racing.
While many reasons have been offered (some more accurate than others), and while some pundits have certainly painted a good portion of the picture behind this growing technique on the race track, we have never seen someone explain the subject quite as well as Sylvain Guintoli.
The Frenchman posted his explanation in a video to YouTube, and he is not only clear in his explanation, but also exhaustively comprehensive in his analysis on the subject.
Sylvain Guintoli has been disqualified for the FP1 and FP2 sessions of the Motegi MotoGP round, after having been found to have used an illegal spec of engine.
As a result, all of his times set in FP1 and FP2 have been scrapped, and Guintoli listed as having set no time. Guintoli does still qualify for Q1, having set a time within 107% of the fastest rider in FP3.
The punishment came after Sylvain Guintoli used a prototype of the 2020 Suzuki GSX-RR during his third wildcard appearance.
Testing has come to an end after the first ever day of MotoGP action at the Kymring in Finland, six of the test riders for the six official MotoGP manufacturers turning some laps at the newly built circuit.
Present were Stefan Bradl for Honda, Jonas Folger for Yamaha, Sylvain Guintoli for Suzuki, Mika Kallio for KTM, Michele Pirro for Ducati and Bradley Smith for Aprilia. Kallio was chosen over KTM’s other test rider, Dani Pedrosa, to give the Finnish rider a chance to ride on his home track.
The test was convened mainly to give Michelin a chance to understand the stress the track will put on the tires. Although they have software that can simulate tire loads and wear based on the layout of the track and the abrasiveness of the surface, measured using special molds, that is always an approximation.