A busy and traumatic few weeks for MX2 Grand Prix winner Valentin Guillod should reach a conclusion during the EICMA motorcycle show in Italy this week, with the 23 year old set for a crunch meeting with Yamaha Motor Europe to decide his fate for a first MXGP season in 2016.
Guillod will head to Milan after taking fourth place in the 2015 Supercross Paris-Lille and with still some supercross practice ahead before his year-ending appearance at the Geneva SX in early December.
The #92 claims that a chance to fulfil his Yamaha contract with a place next to world champion Romain Febvre and team-mate Jeremy Van Horebeek at the Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube squad has been blocked.
And now the manufacturer will have to consider a slot with the Belgian Kemea team or assist Guillod and mentor Yves Demaria in establishing a separate set-up (the duo marshalled a similar independent effort with the rider’s 2013 European Championship win). Yamaha also have links with David Philippaerts’ DP19 Racing team.
“Geneva next but first I have to make my situation clear with the contract and Yamaha,” Guillod commented on his forthcoming plans after racing a stock YZ450F at Lille.
“It will take a bit of organisation but I am happy that Yamaha are supporting me. We will know on Tuesday at EICMA. I was made one proposal already and that was to go to Rinaldi but its not going to happen. We will see what solutions we’ll have.”
