Editor’s note: I have left this as it came to me as the passion these guys have really only comes over in how the French speak English - David
Finally a fantastic dream is coming true, the achievement of longstanding toil, the sensible development of a team rewarded by success, and of course a deep passion for the motorbike sport: now GMT 94, associated with Yamaha Motor France, Ipone, 94 « département » and the Mutuelle des Motards, is making its debut in World Superbike.

Spaniard David Checa and Frenchman Sébastien Gimbert are both facing a new challenge with the French Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 team. With their Yamaha YZF R1, they will be battling heartily to achieve the goal the team has set for their first full season in the category - getting into the top ten!

A modest target
« We are level-headed about the results we can achieve », team manager Christophe Guyot explains. « FG Sports, Superbike’s promoter, has opened the door for us to a championship that has now won world class acclaim and will be of an even higher level than ever in 2008 with a line-up of 28 top quality riders and 15 works bikes, each of them aspiring to victory. In spite of that, we must finish in the top ten: the challenge is within our ambitions. We are confident after winter practice has confirmed our capabilities. Our riders are as motivated as ever, our team has gained consistence and the atmosphere is really constructive. »

Major support
Yamaha Motor France has been GMT 94’s unfailing supporter for years. So the team is proud to wear the blue livery so dear to the diapason make. « By opting for the blue colour, we wanted to underline our allegience to Yamaha Motor France, » Christophe Guyot confirms. « While working with Jean-Claude Olivier and his collaborators, we came to understand why riders like Christian Sarron, Stéphane Peterhansel or Arnaud Demeester are so much attached to them and we now feel the same way. That blue colour appeals to us and symbolises true values and true partnership. » Ipone, the lubricant manufacturer, has intensified its partnership; while the Mutuelle des Motards has always stood by our side, just like our other historical partner, the Val de Marne département and its symbolical # 94. In addition some fifty other faithful partners have also joined GMT 94 in the adventure.

The dream is coming true
« The day I climbed on a race bike for the first time, I started dreaming of Superbike, » Christophe Guyot tells us. « The championship did seem inaccessible to me for so many long years in my rider’s career. But when I won the French Superbike title, hope flooded back in a big way. Although I had to wait for quite a while before becoming the team’s manager - in 2005 the promoter offered us three wild cards over the season. The die was cast and the final decision was taken and ever since that memorable day, we havent stopped doing absolutely everything in our power to implement our project. And here we are!”