Valentin Guillod is now allegedly in the frame to ride the factory YZ450F for a second year in 2017 but from within the Michele Rinaldi-run Monster Energy Yamaha squad if Jeremy Van Horebeek decides to accept an offer from Suzuki.
#92 could have been in the Italian set-up this year after falling out with the Wilvo Standing Construct team in the winter and needing to be placed somewhere due to his Yamaha Motor Europe contract. An apparent frostiness with World champion Romain Febvre meant that Rinaldi was not an option but the edgy relationship could have thawed [providing this weekend’s bar-to-bar Qualifying race hasn’t soured relations – Ed].
“I really don’t know for next year but I know that Febvre doesn’t like me and it is one of the reasons why I am in Kemea and not in Rinaldi. We will see if he changes his mind but we will speak about it in the next weeks,” Guillod said. “We have a really good bike and good team, so we will see.”
Guillod is also attracting offers from other brands but admitted he could get short thrift from Suzuki after reaching very advanced stages of negotiations with them last year only to decide to remain with Yamaha and in blue for a second term.
