Eugene Laverty

Early career Born in Toomebridge, Northern Ireland, Laverty was runner-up in the 2004 British 125cc Championship. He had a successful year in 2006 aboard the Dunlop shod Red Bull Honda CBR600RR. He was a top challenger for the British Supersport title, but finished third overall behind Cal Crutchlow and Tom Sykes, with four wins. He had previously finished 9th overall as a series rookie in 2005. 250cc World Championship (2007–2008) For 2007, Laverty raced in the 250cc Grand Prix World Championship for LCR Honda finishing in 25th place overall with a best result of 14th. A strong run at Barcelona produced no points due to an engine problem. For , it was expected that Laverty would go back to Britain and further his career in Supersports or Superbikes, but he was signed by Blusens Aprilia on 18 December to continue to race in 250cc with privateer motorcycles. He scored points in China and Portugal, but at Le Mans he crashed at the one remaining wet corner as the circuit dried. Supersport World Championship (2008–2010) Plans for Laverty to make his World Superbike debut later that year Laverty signed with the Parkalgar Honda World Supersport team for the 2009 season. On 14 March 2009 Laverty won his first Supersport World Championship race at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, narrowly beating Ten Kate Racing's Andrew Pitt to the chequered flag. His win was also the first for the Parkalgar Honda team. He stacked up three more wins and four-second places to finish as series runner-up behind Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow – ending Ten Kate's run of being the top Honda team for many years. Superbike World Championship (2011–2014) Laverty, on his Yamaha World Superbike, won his first Superbike World Championship race at Monza on 8 May 2011. Eugene stood proudly as his national anthem was played just after race one. Later that afternoon, Laverty completed the double by winning race two, with fellow Yamaha teammate Marco Melandri taking second spot. For 2012 Laverty rode a factory-specification Aprilia, partnering Max Biaggi. MotoGP World Championship (2015–2016) For the 2015 season, Laverty moved to MotoGP with the Aspar Team, riding a Honda RC213V-RS open-specification motorcycle. He finished the season in 22nd place in the riders' championship standings, with a best result of 12th in Catalunya. Laverty remained with the team – now riding Ducati Desmosedici GP14.2 motorcycles – for the 2016 season, where he partnered Yonny Hernández. In Argentina, he achieved his best results in MotoGP career with 4th place. ==Timeline==

In 2008, Laverty had competed in both the 250cc World Championship and the World Supersport series, he then went on to be runner up in the Supersport World Championship in both 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Laverty moved up to the Superbike World Championship with the factory Yamaha World Superbike team, alongside former MotoGP rider Marco Melandri. On 8 May he won his first World Superbike race at Monza and went on to complete the double in race two. For 2012 he moved to the Aprilia Racing Team and has been racing the Aprilia RSV4 alongside Max Biaggi, ending the championship in 6th position and competed for the 2013 championship in the same team alongside Sylvain Guintoli. In 2017 and 2018, Laverty competed in the World Superbikes aboard an Aprilia RSV4, before losing his position within the Shaun Muir Racing team to former Kawasaki rider Tom Sykes. For 2019, Laverty was contracted to ride in the Superbike World Championship for Team Go Eleven on a Ducati Panigale. ==Career statistics==

Grand Prix motorcycle racing By season By class Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap) Supersport World Championship By season Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Superbike World Championship By season Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) • Season still in progress. ==References==