Newly crowned eni FIM Superbike World Champion is enjoying some time off before starting his new adventure with the Pata Honda Team. Later this month the 32 year old Frenchman will make his debut aboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP at the Circuito de Jerez to get to grips with both new team and machinery before the winter break. Guintoli is still over the moon given his recent title win and he is confident to keep some of the momentum as he begins this new important challenge in his career.

“I wake up every morning with a bigger smile” said Guintoli. “It feels really good. It was such an emotional final race day with everything still at stake. The buzz and the adrenaline were massive and I felt like I had never experienced anything like it before. There was never a moment when I thought the title was out of reach, but surely after Laguna we were in a tough situation. I kept my head down and I think the turning point was at Jerez, where I did not expect to be that competitive. I managed to edge Tom twice and started closing the gap to the top. It was difficult, I had to be always at the front without making any mistake.”

“I don’t think it will be about me defending the title but to attack and win it again. I’m looking forward to the new challenge, it’s going to be an exciting and difficult one but I will do my best. I can’t wait to get to know the bike and the team. To start with it will be about getting to grips with them during testing and dialling the bike in for my riding style.”

Guintoli’s new teammate, reigning World Supersport Champion Michael van der Mark, will represent a further challenge in 2015 as he will surely push the French rider to his limit: “I think Pata Honda’s line-up for 2015 is a really good one, with myself as the more experienced rider and Michael as the young WSS Champion who is eager to prove himself in the Superbike World Championship. His presence will be a good thing for me too, because he will keep me on my toes and we can push each other to the limit.”