Sylvain Guintoli will switch allegiance from Suzuki to BMW for the Endurance World Championship, the German manufacturer has announced.

The 2014 WorldSBK Champion has established himself as a reckoned force on the endurance stage in the years since stepping away from WorldSBK and BSB, dovetailing his contribution with the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) alongside commitments with Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP as its test and development rider.

However, Suzuki’s decision to quit MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season has led the Frenchman to team up with BMW for the first time as the German firm attempts to secure a much coveted maiden EWC title.

“I am very happy to join the BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK factory project as a test rider, the project is very exciting and I am looking forward to bring my experience into it. I can’t wait to get started and enjoy the BMW M 1000 RR.”

Three times a runner-up in previous years, while BMW is yet to claim an EWC title, Guintoli does bring championship-winning credentials to the squad after lifting the trophy with SERT in 2020 and 2021.