Guintoli looking ahead with anticipation

New Aprilia Racing factory rider Sylvain Guintoli is now looking at the next stage of his push to become a championship contender, after his decision to hold out for the seat vacated by retiring World Champion Max Biaggi proved to be a good one.

As a privateer Ducati vee-twin rider in 2012 he won three races, a remarkable feat, and one that surely must take at least some pressure off him as he approaches his first full season as an Aprilia factory rider? Yes and no, according to Sylvain himself. "There is still a difference between riding as a privateer or as a factory rider," he stated. "The aim is to go and fight for the championship. There is a lot of work to do and there is another big step to do, but to make that step you need the right bike and the right team. The bike and team I am going to be working with next year is definitely going to be the right one. I have full faith on them giving me everything I need to be in the front. That is what matters to me. That is what I want; I am ready for it. All I want is to challenge and I want to get on track knowing that I am fighting for the wins."

He has already won something, however, the gamble with himself that he should hold out for the ride he really wanted. "It is really exciting and it was a bit of gamble but it was definitely 100% the right thing to do," said Sylvain.

As for his team, the actual crew he will work with in 2013, Guintoli is happy for others to make those decisions, rather than demand a particular crew chief of his own. "I trusted 100% what Luigi Dall'Igna is choosing to do because he knows what riders need and he knows what is going on. This crew I am working with now, the crew that Max had last year knows the bike very well and knows how to work it. They have the right reflexes already. You can tell because they do not even need to speak to each other when there is something to do on the bike, they just know. This is part of winning. I am giving Aprilia 100% trust and 100% regarding this because they know better than I do. I know what to do on track and they know how to make me do it right."