Few riders have spent as much time racing the YZF-R1 as Frenchman Sébastien Gimbert so it is with high hopes that he re-enters the World Superbike Championship for 2008. Like so many French riders he has specialized in endurance racing for the past three years. His successes in 24-hour races are outstanding, having won all three of the 'classics' - the Le Mans, Spa and Bol d'Or.

The French 250 champion in 1996 and 1997, Gimbert switched to 500GPs in 1998. Results were as good as could be expected considering the privateer equipment he rode but the big break with a factory team never arrived and, after spending 2000 in 250GPs, he tried his luck racing four-strokes. It proved to be a successful transition.

In 2003 Gimbert won the 24 hour races at Spa and the Bol d'Or at Magny-Cours, before linking up with David Checa, William Costes and the Yamaha GMT94 squad to win the 2004 Endurance World Championship. Additionally he rode an R1 in many rounds of the French Super Production Championship and had two wild-card outings in the World Superbike Championship - at Brands Hatch and Magny-Cours - where he proved both his worth and the bike's speed with a brace of fourth places. In 2005, Gimbert was rewarded with a full-time WSB ride with Yamaha Motor France. The Frenchman started the season strongly taking a front row start and lap record in Qatar before helping the Yamaha GMT94 team win the Le Mans 24-hour race. Unfortunately, a broken leg sustained at Silverstone dulled his mid-to-late season form.

2006 was a tough year for the Frenchman with only a handful of point scoring races giving him the 19th position in the final WSB standings. A podium in the Le Mans 24hrs race was the only real highlight in the season. 2007 brought a new challenge for Gimbert – adapting his riding style to a 600cc machine to contest in the World Supersport Championship with Yamaha GMT94. He showed determination throughout the season but was unable to reflect his true ability as he learnt his way around the YZF-R6.

For 2008 Gimbert re-joins the World Superbike Championship alongside David Checa in the Yamaha GMT94 squad. With 45 WSB races under his belt to date, it won’t take long for the Frenchman to be back to his usual form.