Christophe Guyot
 |
| Christophe Guyot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nationality | French |
| Born | July 13, 1962 Marseille |
| Current team | GMT94 |
Christophe Guyot is a French speed and endurance motorcycle rider, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Endurance World champion and French Superbike champion. Born on July 13, 1962, in Marseille, who became a teacher, he founded the GMT94 motorcycle team,[1] from its speed racing beginnings. He still is the team manager and to this day, remains the only rider/manager to win the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans motorbike race.[2]
Following a third world title in Endurance (2017), and still led by Christophe Guyot, GMT94 moved up to world speed in 2018 in the Supersport class (600cc) and became runner-up in the 2019 world championship. GMT94 and Christophe Guyot enter the World Superbike Championship (1000cc) in 2023.
Christophe Guyot is also a consultant for the Eurosport television channel.
Biography[edit]
Graduated as a teacher in 1984, Christophe Guyot taught until 1990. It was in 1989 that he started motorcycle racing in the 350cc Promosport category on a Yamaha RDLC. He created the Guyot Motorcycle Team (GMT) in 1991 and later became the president of the GMT94 association, affiliated to the FFM.
Christophe Guyot was also the representative of the riders from 1994 to 2004. He was then a member of the Executive Committee of the French Federation of Motorcycling (term of office 2004-2008 and 2012-2016).
He has always worn number 94, the symbol of a French department and with which it carries out projects for young people, road safety and the most penniless.
GMT94 is the official Yamaha team in the EWC (Endurance World Championship) until 2018. The team won 3 endurance world championship titles, 3 victories in the 24 Hours Motos and 2 victories in the Bol d'Or. It is also a four-time French Superbike champion.
In 2018, Christophe Guyot decided to enter the World Supersport Championship in Supersport (600 cm3). 26 podiums and 7 victories later, Christophe took the GMT94 to the Superbike championship (1000 cm3). Today it is the official Yamaha team in the Supersport World Championship.
The rider years[edit]
Christophe Guyot started motorcycle racing in 1989, at the age of 26.
For his first season of speed, in the Promosport 350 and behind the handlebars of a Yamaha RD 350 LC, he won two races and finished on the rostrum three times.
This year 1989 is a change in Christophe Guyot's life. Until then a teacher, he decided to leave school to concentrate on his passion: motorcycling. In 1990, he moved in the upper class and ride in Promosport 750, a category in which he won three victories. The following season, in 1991, Christophe Guyot decided to found his own team, GMT94 for Guyot Motorcycle Team, 94 being the French department number of Val-de-Marne. He raced for three seasons in the Superbike World Championship, accumulating a total of 16 races throughout the 1991, 1992 and 1993 seasons.
After three years of travelling the world, Christophe Guyot decided to return to France successfully since he won the title of French Superbike champion in 1998. He is still the only "private" rider to have won the championship in the top French speed category. The following year, he decided to devote himself exclusively to the Endurance World Championship.
From the very first races, the results were convincing: first podium (Portugal), first pole position in the world championship (Germany), and the title of runner-up world champion. The following year saw GMT94's first victory at the 24-hour race in Oschersleben (2000), Germany. The highlight came in 2001 with victory in the famous 24 Hours Motos. To date, Christophe Guyot remains the only rider/manager to have won this legendary event.[3] The Val de Marnaise team, still ridden by Christophe Guyot, Sébastien Scarnato and Nicolas Dussauge, will be looking forward to another victory at the 6 Hours of Nurburgring (Germany). In 2002, Christophe Guyot won the 8 Hours of Brno, Czech Republic.
Finally, during the 2004 season, he won the 8 Hours of Zhuhai (China) with David Checa and William Costes, and became Endurance. Christophe Guyot offered Yamaha his first title in World Endurance Championship. The following season, Christophe Guyot announced that he will stop his rider career to devote himself to new projects, still with GMT94. However, he remained a substitute until 2007 and competed again in a race in 2011, where he won, with his rider David Checa, the 5 Hours of Circuit Carole (Trophée Grégory Lemarchal).[4]
Team-Manager[edit]
Christophe Guyot held this position long before his retirement from sport. Having had a remarkable 2004 season, Yamaha decided to provide "official" support to GMT94. It was in 2018 that he decided to partially enter the Supersport World Championship[5] with Mike Di Meglio then with a young rider: Corentin Perolari. Afterwards, GMT94 ends its commitment to Endurance in order to devote itself fully to the Supersport World Championship. Thus, in 2019 and at the end of a successful season, GMT94 became runner-up in Supersport with Jules Cluzel and Corentin Perolari. The team's development doesn't stop there, as it continues its ascent in the World Superbike Championship in 2023[6] with Italian rider Lorenzo Baldassarri, renowned for his years in Moto2 and his runner-up spot in the World Supersport Championship in 2022.
Consultant[edit]
Since his retirement from sport, Christophe Guyot has been involved in a wide range of activities. In addition to his role as team manager, he is also a consultant for the Eurosport television channel on the Superbike World Championship (WSBK), Endurance and British Superbike. Between 2012 and 2018, when the channel then owns the broadcasting rights for MotoGP, he also delivered his analysis during the Dimanche Méca and Warm-up shows with Guenaelle Longy, Christophe Malbranque and Lionel Rosso. Since 2019, Christophe Guyot has been a consultant for the Motorcycle Endurance World e Championship (EWC) alongside Gilles della Posta, Rémy Tissier and Romain Hussonnois.
Christophe Guyot is also involved with the Mutuelle des Motards in projects aimed at youth and has a role as a trainer of riders[1] for Yamaha, a manufacturer to which he is loyal.
Every year, Christophe Guyot supervises riding lessons with Circuit Carole[2].
Principals triumphs[edit]
| Year | Catégory | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Superbike | France Superbike Champion |
| 2000 | Endurance | Endurance World Championship – runner-up: Oscherleben 24 hours – winner |
| 2001 | Endurance | Endurance World Championship – runner-up: - Nürbürgring 6 hours – winner - Le Mans 24 hours – winner |
| 2002 | Endurance | Brno 8 hours – winner |
| 2004 | Endurance | Endurance World Championship – winner: - Zhuhai 8 hours – winner |
| 2011 | Endurance | Circuit Carole 5 hours – winner (Grégory le Marchal Trophy) |
References[edit]
- ^ Revel, Stéphane. "Bol d'Or : Christophe Guyot (GMT94) la réussite d’un instit’ du périph’" (in French), La Marseillaise, September 18, 2016.
- ^ "40 ans de 24 Heures Motos : Retour sur la première victoire du GMT94 en 2001".
- ^ "40 ans de 24 Heures Motos : Retour sur la première victoire du GMT94 en 2001".
- ^ "Christophe Guyot et David Checa remportent le trophée Grégory Lemarchal". 16 June 2011.
- ^ "WSBK - Mike di Meglio en Mondial Supersport 2018 avec le GMT94".
- ^ "Le team GMT94 Yamaha s'engage au WorldSBK 2023 !". 14 October 2022.