[Supersport] Exclusive interview with Christophe Guyot (GMT94) “The regulations have been revised to allow all brands to be more or less uniform in terms of performance”

The first tests of the 2019 season have just taken place in Superbike and Supersport on the newly resurfaced Jerez circuit. For two days, the main candidate teams for the supreme title came to compete this Wednesday and Thursday, before meeting for the second session next Sunday and Monday in Portimao.

We spoke with Christophe Guyot, who left endurance racing to shift all of his team's efforts to the Supersport World Championship.

Christophe, what were the conditions of these tests? Last November, on the old asphalt, Raffaele de Rosa on his MV Agusta F3 was the fastest in 1'43.059, compared to this week 1'42.529 for Federico Caricasulo on Yamaha. What did you think of the new coating and the weather conditions?

“The weather conditions were ideal, with very mild temperatures and full sun, it was really great. As for the new surface, I have a harder time answering you because we didn't drive here last year. We discovered him in Supersport. We had driven here in endurance, but with a different brand of tires, so we had no point of comparison, no point of reference to evaluate the surface.

“But the drivers didn't complain about anything, except that on the first day it was relatively slippery. The first day was quite tricky because it was a bit slippery, but on the second day no one complained about the track. »

Two official Yamaha teams are entering R6s with Corentin Perolari and Jules Cluzel for the GMT94, as well as Federico Caricasulo and Randy Krummenacher for the Bardahl Evan Bros Racing Team. Is it about emulation or adversity?

“It’s definitely an adversity. We are competitors, but at the same time it was good that they were present so that we could benchmark each other. The conditions were ideal for this, with few people on the track, it was really great. But it is obvious that we are adversaries. »

The Yamaha R6, World Champion for the last two years with Mahias and Cortese, finished in Jerez only 0.2 ahead of the Kawasaki of Mahias and the MV of de Rosa. Is this worrying?

“No, because we know from the start of the season that there will be nine formidable competitors for victories. At the start of the season, I see seven, then nine from mid-season.

“The seven are Krummenacher, Caricasulo, Mahias, Cluzel, de Rosa, Viñales (Isaac) and Barbera. He is sure that Barbera will be a customer too because he does not give up. He didn't succeed on the Kawa when he arrived, but there on a Yamaha which will be much easier to ride, Barbera – who is not the type to give up – will inevitably be formidable.

“The two that I don't see winning at the start, but who will gain momentum are Thomas Gradinger on his Kallio Racing Yamaha YZF R6, and Corentin Perolari. Both finished the 2018 season with top-5 finishes, although Gradinger has been much more quiet as he doesn't have a thunderous race debut. But we can see real progress in him. I think these two young drivers should join the top seven around the middle of the year. »

Three different brands in the first three places, is that a guarantee of a good show?

“Yes, definitely. The regulations have been revised to allow all brands to be more or less uniform in terms of performance. We removed a few rounds (Editor’s note: engine speed) to the Yamaha, we gave some small advantages to the MV Agusta for less damage, and Kawasaki was also entitled to two or three things. It will be standardized and the sporting and technical proximity of the three brands will be an obvious guarantee of spectacle. »

The gaps are small, with 7th, Corentin Perolari – one of your two drivers – at 0.4. At the end of the season, if a Yamaha rider competes for the title, will those from the other official team give him a helping hand?

“A priori, I don't think so because each team aims for the best possible result, whether it is World Champion, second, third or fourth. Everyone needs good results. And when we can no longer aim for the title, we still need good results. What is certain is that on Yamaha's side, there will never be any instructions to let so-and-so pass. I've never heard that from Yamaha. »

Results of this Thursday's tests in Jerez:

Video: A distinguished visitor to Jerez: Stefan Bradl on MotoGP

Photos © GMT94, video © motogp.com