Alice Ducati
MotoGP rider
Sylvain Guintoli completed a one day test for Yamaha Motor Italia at Vallelunga.
Riding the same specification machine with which
Noriyuki Haga took a double race victory on Sunday, the Frenchman completed around 100 laps, the best of which was a 1min 37.7secs on 'soft tyres', around one second off the pace of Haga and team-mate
Troy Corser.
"Guintoli didn't require any particular changes to the bike as it had been used by Haga and Corser," team manager Massimo Meregalli told the official WSBK website. "It looks to have been a positive test and now we will draw our conclusions".
With Haga expected to move to Ducati Xerox next season, and Corser still unsigned, it would be easy to assume that Guintoli - without a ride in MotoGP - is now on target to ride alongside Tom Sykes in 2009.
But that would leave Yamaha's top WSBK team with two rookies to develop the all-new 'big bang' R1.
However, Guintoli could also be in contention for a ride with Yamaha France, which has one seat open alongside David Checa.
Either way, Meregalli claims to be on the verge of naming his second rider.
"No [Guintoli will not be taking part in any further tests] we think we have all the elements in place to decide on the second rider, whose name will be communicated quite soon," he said.
