Former British Superbike Champion Leon Camier feels 'stabbed in the back' and will turn to Aprilia to throw him a World Superbike lifeline after learning he will be replaced in the Fixi Suzuki team by Eugene Laverty.
The Kent man had shaken hands on a deal for 2014 with team boss Paul Denning, only for his management team to get a phone call to say his presence would not be required as next year's squad would comprise Laverty and reigning BSB champion Alex Lowes.
Camier is now in discussion with Aprilia to land a spot in one of the satellite teams being run by Althea and Red Devils. He rode in the works team alongside Max Biaggi in 2010 and 2011 before making the Suzuki switch.
"I am pretty upset to be honest. We had shaken hands on the deal after testing and to be told yesterday that it wasn't happening for 2014 has left me disappointed and annoyed. We weren't even going to test at Jerez unless we had an agreement, which we got, and then were finalising the details there," said Camier, speaking to bikesportnews.com this morning.
"It has been a very tough year for me with the two big crashes and subsequent injuries. I have had to ride over the limit all year to try and just be competitive, and a couple of times that bit me on the arse.
"I worked incredibly hard to come back from the Aragon and Turkey crashes, and breaking my foot in seven places. I got a sixth place when I shouldn't have really been walking. We shook hands on the ride after the test and now this has happened. I feel like I have been stabbed in the back after the hard work and loyalty I've shown."
Camier is insistent now that, after he has been 'led up the garden path' he will only look a package on which he will be in a position to be competitive and if that means a return to British Superbikes, or a switch to AMA, then so be it.
"With the winter test ban looming large, I want to try and get something in place. What I don't want to do it have to sit and twiddle my thumbs over Christmas either not having a deal or having one, but not having ridden the bike. It's a very frustrating time," he said.
"Having spent so much time riding out of my skin on something that was only fast enough for top sixes at best, I want to be back at the sharp end and on the podium. Obviously, the aim is to remain in World Superbikes but if there is an option for a winning bike back in the UK, or America, then I won't rule it out."