Sylvain Guintoli is heading into the British Superbike off-season feeling positive after bringing his interrupted year to a close with a confident trio of top five results during the final round at Oulton Park.

Having already announced he will race for the Worx Crescent Suzuki team again in 2010, Guintoli enjoyed his most convincing display since returning to action following his leg break earlier in the year.

Now fully fit, Guintoli admits he is only lacking in the confidence to push harder now, something he is hopeful he can get back when he begins testing with the team over the winter period.

"That second race was definitely a highlight of the weekend,” he said. “I had a good fight with Tommy Hill and found a good rhythm. I was very pleased with my lap times as well, I was a lot quicker and a lot closer to the lap times of the winner.

"For race three we made some changes to the set-up, but they didn't work out. While I was able to lap at a similar pace to the first race I couldn't push when I needed to and this cost me fourth place right at the end of the race.

"It was a bonus to gain a few places in the championship today to finish eighth in the final standings, especially having missed so many rounds. I feel I've come away from the weekend having rediscovered my rhythm and this will help when we come to start testing for next season."

Despite missing six rounds while he recovered from his injury, sustained at Donington Park, Guintoli was still able to finish eighth in his maiden season of Superbikes, just 23 points off fifth.