Sébastien_Charpentier_(motorcycle_racer)
Sébastien Charpentier (motorcyclist)
French motorcycle racer
Sébastien Charpentier (born 26 March 1973 in La Rochefoucauld, Charente) is a French motorcycle road racer. He is the first man to have won the Supersport World Championship in successive years, 2005 and 2006.[1]
He made his debut in 1996, when he won the France Honda CB500 Cup.[2] In 1997 he participated in the Supersport European Championship, and since 1998 he has participated in Supersport World Series (that became the Supersport World Championship in 1999) with Honda.[2] His 2006 title victory came after Yamaha Germany's Kevin Curtain crashed in the final round while looking set for the crown.[3] He opened 2006 with a victory in Qatar[4] and took three successive poles early in this season.[5]
In 2000 he participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with William Costes and Sébastien Gimbert.[2][6]
In the 2007 Supersport world championship, an injury-induced absence in some races reduced his final standing to 11th overall, in stark contrast to his double championships victories in the previous two years.[7] He did not race full-time in 2008 or 2009, but did race the 2009 Le Mans motorcycle race, and mentored young Honda riders Gino Rea and Maxime Berger.[8]
For 2010 he returned to World Supersport racing with Triumph,[1] but quit the team after just one unsuccessful race.[9] He then joined Daffix Racing BMW for the Endurance World Championship, swapping rides with countryman Matthieu Lagrive.[10]