Yamaha Signs Eugene Laverty To Complete 2011 World Superbike Team
Yamaha has signed a contract with current World Supersport title
contender Eugene Laverty to join the Yamaha Sterilgarda World
Superbike Team on the YZF-R1 alongside MotoGP rider Marco Melandri
for the 2011 season. 24 yr old Laverty from Northern Ireland is a
proven racer, having come second to Yamaha's reigning World
Supersport Champion Cal Crutchlow in the 2009 championship with
four race wins. He is currently just 12 points behind the lead in
the current standings with two further rounds to go having taken
seven race wins and five pole position starts so far this
season.
Laverty is no stranger to Yamaha, taking time out from the 250cc
MotoGP Championship to enjoy two wild card World Supersport rides
in 2008 in place of injured rider Fabien Foret. The young rider
adapted quickly, scoring an impressive podium finish with third in
his second outing at Vallelunga.
"It's great to have a contract signed at this stage while still
fighting for the title in the Supersport class. I desperately want
to win this year before moving on," said Eugene Laverty. "When I
rode the Yamaha YZF-R6 in World Supersport in 2008 I was having a
tough time in 250s, it's nice that Yamaha brought me to the fore
and are now giving me the opportunity within superbike. Ben Spies
winning the championship in 2009 and Cal Crutchlow now stepping up
and winning races shows the bike and team are more than capable so
the rest is up to me. I think with the team support and a good
testing schedule we can start the 2011 championship ready to be
competitive from the first race and be on the podium as early as
possible. Having a teammate like Marco Melandri is great, he has a
wealth of experience to learn from so I'm going to enjoy riding
with him."
"We've been very impressed with Eugene in the World Supersport
Championship," said Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Manager Laurens
Klein Koerkamp. "He is a very talented racer who has shown great
dedication to training, is focussed on victory and we know he's a
great person to work with. We have proved with Cal Crutchlow that
we have the facility to bring young riders through from World
Supersport, continue to nurture and develop them in World Superbike
and provide them with further opportunities in MotoGP if the
situation is right. We look forward to working with Eugene and
believe he has the talent to continue through with Yamaha into the
future."