This time last year, Valentin Guillod was preparing for yet another season in the MXGP World Championship – but this time as a full privateer. The Swiss rider has never been afraid of a challenge, and after leaving the SR Honda team, he decided to take matters into his own hands by running his own program.
Guillod’s 2025 campaign started with promise, showing flashes of the speed battling against full factory riders. Unfortunately, his progress was halted after he picked up an injury at his home Grand Prix in Switzerland. That setback ruled him out of some rounds of MXGP so Guillod made a bold decision – to head across the Atlantic and race in America.
Once in the United States, Guillod lined up for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, facing a whole new set of challenges. Not only did he have to learn new tracks and conditions, but he also had to adjust to the American racing format and lifestyle. Despite those hurdles, the Swiss talent quickly adapted and impressed many observers with his consistency and raw pace. By the end of the season, he had worked his way up to an impressive ninth overall in the championship standings.
Guillod also took the opportunity to race in the SMX Playoff events, gaining valuable experience on U.S. soil against the best riders from both Supercross and Motocross. While the format and tracks were new to him, he held his own and showed that with the right preparation, he could be competitive across both disciplines.
Following the Motocross of Nations, where he represented Team Switzerland, We caught up with Guillod to discuss his future plans. At the time, he revealed that his goal was to remain in America for the 2026 season, ideally contesting both Supercross and Motocross.
“The goal is to have one month in Switzerland after the MXoN before coming back here to start getting ready for the Supercross season. Now I’m speaking with a few teams. I hope in 10 days or two weeks, I will know more, and we can announce what’s going to happen.”
While it has taken a little longer than Guillod initially expected, it’s understood that he has now secured a deal with the Rock River Yamaha team who supported him this year. Under this new agreement, we understand that Guillod is set to race a 250cc Yamaha in what will be his rookie Supercross season, before switching to the 450cc machine for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship later in the year.
Guillod is expected to return to the United States in the coming weeks to begin his Supercross preparation, and it’s believed he’ll contest the East Coast series, which doesn’t kick off until February 22nd. That gives him additional time to train, test, and adapt to the technical demands of indoor racing – a discipline he’s relatively new to.
It’s an exciting time for Guillod, who has worked incredibly hard to rebuild his career in recent years. From running his own setup in MXGP to now earning a spot on a U.S. team, his journey is a testament to his determination and belief in his abilities.
