Behind Joan Mir’s success with Suzuki are many men who have helped grow the GSX-RR, including Sylvain Guintoli. The French rider provided his experience for the development of the MotoGP project and his contribution has been invaluable.
The tester talked about how it all started.
“When you are at home with no running, it is also a good time to ponder and look back on happy memories. I’ve pondered Suzuki’s fantastic 2020 success and remembered how my role on Team Suzuki Ecstar began – he said – I joined and replaced Alex in 2017 after Alex’s wrist injury. At the time I had started with Suzuki developing the GSX-R in BSB and Davide Brivio called me because I had experience in MotoGP. “
It was a good decision…
“It was a great opportunity for me because normally you can’t get back in when you leave MotoGP. It was really nice to ride a GP bike again. My first thoughts were that it was just awesome to ride a bike like that again and First you just have to have a little fun on the bike and then you have to get into the technical stuff and understand the bike in order to go faster. “
Sylvain still has these first sensations in mind …
“My first impression of the GSX-RR was that it was very well balanced, but this year there was an issue with the engine. That balance has become something of a “theme” around the GSX-RR, and that’s actually the most important thing in GP racing because ultimately these bikes are too strong for the tracks and too strong for grip. The key is to manage what you have and make the most of it. “
In fact, the Suzuki is always described as the most balanced bike in the field …
“We worked hard and one of the biggest improvements came between 2017 and 2018; The engine was much better and all the tools that were put in to counter the engine problem were still very useful and useful as we were immersed in the bike and this allowed us to understand even more about the GSX -RR. Then after that it was all about the small steps; Aerodynamics, engine braking and stability. Just chop it away and make small adjustments – all of those little things add up. The following year, in 2019, the bike got better and better and so did the results. “
“In 2020 the big difference was the new chassis”
Then the recent story: with Mir’s title …
“Last year, in 2020, the big difference was the new chassis, which I tried for the first time in the Sepang test last season. It was a big improvement! This allows the drivers to brake harder, which was a big plus. Joan brakes late and he brakes hard so it really helped him. And the new engine in 2020 was better in some areas too, so we took a big step last year. Historically, Suzuki has always built bikes that ride well and ride well in corners. It’s in the DNA and this 2020 GSX-RR was the ultimate in this way. “
“I’m pretty geeky: I watch every session, even when I’m at home.”
Sylvain knows that there are a lot of him on this bike …
“I love doing the work so I watch every session even when I’m home and last year it was more exciting than ever to see Joan and Alex perform so well! I’m pretty geeky because I like to analyze the timesheets and all of the information after every track session. I’m very interested and it helps me understand the different driving styles and strengths of Suzuki’s riders and determine exactly what they need … and other than that, I’m just a huge fan of motorcycle racing! “
However, his work is not behind a computer screen, but on a bike …
“Normally I would test about 10,000 km, but in 2020 it was much more difficult because of the pandemic. This year, in 2021, the schedule seems to be changing again and it will be difficult to know about travel restrictions and how much we can test. Last year I couldn’t go to Japan and it was difficult and we heard a few days ago that the Sepang test was being canceled so we’ll have to wait and see what is possible. But there is also a development freeze that is good for us because we are very satisfied with the bike, although we are interested in continuing to work for the future. “
Finally, Guintoli spoke of Brivio’s departure from Suzuki …
“It will be a little different for the Suzuki Ecstar team this year because Davide has left the team. I enjoyed working with him and I am grateful to him for welcoming me and sharing some great memories. At the moment I am training and keeping myself fit, which is crucial in order to be able to cope with a whole day of testing. That’s why I ride my bike a lot and go on adventures. I’m ready to get back on the GSX-RR asap! “