Sylvain Guintoli Tops WSBK Practice in Sepang

Larry Lawrence | June 6, 2014
Aprilias Slvain Guintoli predicted that Sepang would suit his Aprilia. He was right. Guintoli topped FP2 Friday afternoon at a hot and muggy Malaysian circuit by turning a 2:05.096 on his factory Aprilia RSV4. Gold Goose photo  

Photography by Gold & Goose

Aprilia’s Slvain Guintoli predicted that Sepang would suit his Aprilia. He was right. Guintoli topped FP2 Friday afternoon at a hot and muggy Malaysian circuit by turning a 2:05.096 on his factory Aprilia RSV4. Ducati’s Davide Giugliano and defending series champ Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) rounded out the top three in FP2.

The speed was close between the top competitors. The top 10 riders in FP2 all ran within a second of one another.

Guintoli is ready for the sixth round of the 2014 eni FIM Superbike World Championship, which is racing for the first time ever at the Sepang International Circuit. The Frenchman is aware of the challenges that are awaiting the WSBK riders on this track, as he has already raced on this track in his MotoGP times.

“I’ve got good memories of Sepang. It’s a good track, a fast and wide one. It sounds good to us. I think it’s going to be very hot and completely different weather wise compared to the European rounds we’ve had so far, but it’s going to be a good experience,” said Guintoli.

“It’s going to be hard work considering the conditions,” he added “especially with two races on the same day. High humidity is what plays the biggest factor here, so it will be tough for the rider and the mechanics, too. On paper the track should suit us, the two massive straight will help us to fully use the raw power of the RSV4. Aprilia has a lot of experience on this track from the MotoGP times, so hopefully we can take advantage of it and get good results here this weekend.”

World Superbike FP2 from Sepang – June 6, 2014
1 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’05.096
2 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Ducati Superbike Team Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2’05.278
3 1 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’05.283
4 24 T. ELIAS ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’05.340
5 58 E. LAVERTY IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 2’05.356
6 7 C. DAVIES GBR Ducati Superbike Team Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2’05.448
7 33 M. MELANDRI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’05.671
8 65 J. REA GBR PATA Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR 2’05.752
9 76 L. BAZ FRA Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’05.950
10 22 A. LOWES GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 2’06.089
11 91 L. HASLAM GBR PATA Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR 2’06.607
12 19 L. CAMIER GBR BMW Motorrad Italia SBK BMW S1000 RR EVO 2’06.898
13 44 D. SALOM ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’06.967
14 71 C. CORTI ITA MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich M. MV Agusta F4 RR 2’06.978
15 2 C. IDDON GBR Team Bimota Alstare Bimota BB3 EVO 2’06.981
16 59 N. CANEPA ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1199 Panigale R EVO 2’07.166
17 32 S. MORAIS RSA IRON BRAIN Grillini Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’07.262
18 86 A. BADOVINI ITA Team Bimota Alstare Bimota BB3 EVO 2’07.582
19 11 J. GUARNONI FRA MRS Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’08.172
20 10 I. TOTH HUN BMW Team Toth BMW S1000 RR 2’08.347
21 21 A. ANDREOZZI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’08.389
22 9 F. FORET FRA MAHI Racing Team India Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’08.585
23 98 R. LANUSSE FRA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’08.950
24 67 B. STARING AUS IRON BRAIN Grillini Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’09.837
25 99 G. MAY USA Team Hero EBR EBR 1190 RX 2’10.761
26 56 P. SEBESTYEN HUN BMW Team Toth BMW S1000 RR EVO 2’10.825
27 20 A. YATES USA Team Hero EBR EBR 1190 RX 2’13.780

Larry Lawrence | Archives Editor

In addition to writing our Archives section on a weekly basis, Lawrence is another who is capable of covering any event we throw his way.