Ponsson continues with family-run Gil Yamaha WSBK team

French rider Ponsson contested his second full WSBK season in 2021 following a tie-up between his father Jean-Christophe's team and the Alstare operation run by Francis Batta.

That alliance only lasted for four rounds, but the team continued to field a solo R1 independently, with Ponsson going on to score two top-10 finishes en route to 20th in the riders' standings.

Now it has been announced that the 26-year-old and the Gil team will be back for a second campaign together.

"I am very happy to continue with Gil Motor Sport Yamaha in World Superbike for a second season," commented Ponsson. "We had a good evolution in mid-2021 after a very complicated start last year, we will continue what we have started to build together with the team.

"Our bike will be more competitive, and I can't wait to try the improvements in our winter testing programme.”

Ponsson's first WSBK experience came back in 2015, when he rode for privateer Kawasaki squads Grillini and Pedercini, recording a best finish in 11th.

He then returned in 2020 for three wildcard outings on an Aprilia, having also made an infamous one-off MotoGP appearance at Misano back in 2018 for Avintia Racing in which he finished a lapped 23rd.

 

Ponsson will again be one of five Yamaha riders on the 2022 grid, joining works pairing Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli as well as GRT duo Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane.