Loyal to the Superbike World Championship since 2008, Eugene Laverty raced on Yamaha, Suzuki and Aprilia, then last year on a private Ducati Panigale V4 R of the Go Eleven team, which earned him a modest fifteenth place in the final standings two points behind Markus Reiterberger, who had a factory BMW. He replaced the German this year, to occupy fifteenth place in the general classification after Phillip Island.
Vice-World Superbike Champion in 2013 on Aprilia, after having been twice in Supersport on Honda in 2009 and 2010, Eugene is a very versatile rider who has exceptional experience. Aged 33, he has indeed raced in GP 125, 250 and MotoGP, within the Aspar Racing Team for the latter category, on an RC213V-RS, then a Ducati Desmosedici GP14.2, with the best result being the fourth place in the Argentine GP in 2016, behind Marc Márquez, Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa.
“I started racing on asphalt at the age of 14, but by the time I was five I was already doing motocross. In both cases I must have made myself look older than I was, because at the time in Northern Ireland you weren't allowed to race motocross before the age of six years and on the road before fifteen” explained the Irishman during an interview on Instagram worldsbk.com.
When asked about the best moment of his career, Eugene provided a clear answer: “In 2009 and 2010, I participated in the Supersport World Championship with the PTR team, it was the start of my career in this world championship and those were great years with Simon Buckmaster. There were a lot of great people on that team that I traveled the world with. Today I am friends with many of them. »
“Then I really enjoyed riding motorbikes and for the first time I was able to earn money from racing, I didn't expect that. These are great memories from the start of my career. »
Michael van der Mark has just been officially announced at BMW as a rider for the 2021 Superbike World Championship season, but the name of the second rider is still unknown. Sykes or Laverty? How will Laverty be influenced by the passage of Michael van der Mark (27 years old) in the BMW factory team for 2021?
“The best thing I can do now is show what I can do on the track in races. In fact, I came to BMW to develop the bike. I had already realized during the winter tests that this bike would not yet be a candidate for the title. »
“My goal was to make the BMW capable of winning this year and fighting for the Superbike World Champion title in 2021. Unfortunately we missed more than half the season, now it’s about producing results to be in a good position for the future. »
“Many drivers have a few tricks to convince,” said the BMW driver. “They start with an almost empty tank or with new tires in the morning or evening when track conditions are better. »
“In addition, many drivers do not respect the track limits during practice and therefore achieve a few tenths on a fast lap. It's always very interesting when someone surprises you in winter and then returns to their normal position during the season..."
“During my career, I always prepared for the race distance and did not focus on individual laps. I'm going to have to change my approach a little to stand out more and get noticed." Laverty confirmed.
A tour of the Lausitz circuit with an on-board camera:
Photos © BMW
