| PERSONAL DETAILS | |
| NAME: | SYLVAIN GUINTOLI |
| TEAM: | ALICE TEAM |
| NATIONALITY: | FRENCH |
| DATE OF BIRTH: | 26/06/1982 |
| MARRIED: | MARRIED |
Some eyebrows were raised when Yamaha Tech 3 signed Sylvain Guintoli, a 250cc privateer from 2003-2006, for the 2007 MotoGP World Championship - but the Frenchman went on to make Tech 3 proud and secure a seat for 2008, albeit with a rival team.
Guintoli had first joined fellow Frenchman Herve Poncharal's Tech 3 outfit as a test rider back in 2002, and made a one-off MotoGP race debut at Brno, before returning to full time racing - in the 250cc class - the following season.
2003 saw Guintoli claim his one and only 250GP podium finish, a third place at Assen, on his way to tenth in the championship with Campetella Aprilia. Sylvain stayed with the privateer team the following season, but slipped to 14th in the championship, before making the switch to Equipe de France for 2005 and 2006.
Guintoli was one of the top non-factory riders during those seasons, in which he finished tenth and ninth in the championship standings, but had also maintained his links with the Tech 3 team and, after several tests during 2006, was handed the second Dunlop-backed MotoGP seat for 2007, alongside Makoto Tamada.
Guintoli fractured his collarbone while testing at Paul Ricard in November 2006, but recovered in time to take the final world championship point on his MotoGP debut at Qatar. Sylvain then went from strength to strength, regularly overpowering former MotoGP race winner Tamada, whom he eventually finished 12 points and two places above (16th compared with 18th) in the world championship standings.
Notable highlights of a inspiring season were briefly leading his home (wet) French GP, only his fifth MotoGP race, finishing fourth at the wet/dry Japanese Grand Prix - 0.6secs from third placed Toni Elias - and qualifying fifth for the Valencia season finale.
Nevertheless, with double World Superbike champion James Toseland signing for Tech 3 in 2008 - and Colin Edwards moving from the factory team to occupy the second seat - Tech 3 was reluctantly forced to let Guintoli go. Sylvain duly signed for the satellite d'Antin Ducati team, which will be sponsored by Alice in 2008.
| END OF 2007. | |
| STARTS: | N/A |
| WINS: | 0 |
| POLES: | 0 |
| FASTEST LAPS: | 0 |
| POINTS: | N/A |
| DEBUT: | QATAR 2007 |
| DRIVEN FOR: | ALICE TEAM (2008) / TECH 3 YAMAHA (2007) |