Superbike Magny-Cours: Riders improvise as Street-artists

superbikes, Fassi French Round. The World Series Championship has arrived in France for the eleventh round, out of thirteen scheduled, which will start at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours tomorrow with two free practice sessions.

Before competing on the track, the drivers engaged in the usual media event on Thursday which this time consisted of painting a 20 m canvas, guided by some of the most famous French street artists of the "Street Art City" Association, in picturesque square of the Ducal Palace of Nevers.

Jonathan Rea, Sylvain Guintoli, Jules Cluzel, Cedric Tangre and Zulfahmi Khairuddin learned the various techniques used by street artists and contributed, each by painting a 1,2m x 1,2m canvas with a mix of different styles, to create a gigantic work of art in front of fans and media, to raise funds for cancer research.

Sylvain Guintoli and Jules Cluzel were among the most fascinated by the work of the artists present, so much so that they sat in the front row to see them at work, and took many photos.
Then they tried it on their own, but the results were definitely not up to par, with Cluzel commenting: “The last time I painted was at school!”

Even Jonathan Rea and Zulfahmi Khairuddin, Orelac Racing VerdNatura team, were no less enthusiastic than their colleagues, so much so that they were the first to take a can and give their contribution on the canvas. Khairuddin – a master of the spray – took great care in painting within the lines drawn by his partner artist: “They have a steady hand and it's impressive how they control the pressure of the spray!”

Rea instead improvised, taking inspiration from the team's uniform, but needed help to complete the smaller details of the logo: “Mine is the best. It was difficult to find inspiration, but once I decided, I threw myself into this endeavor, painted my sponsor's logos and had a lot of fun."

Guintoli, busy having his portrait painted by an artist, said he wants to buy the painting when it is finished, but the Frenchman will have to fight with his fans because it will be auctioned for charity in November.