Eugene Laverty (born 3 June 1986) is a former professional motorcycle road racer from Northern Ireland, the brother of Michael and John.

Eugene Laverty
Laverty in 2016
NationalityBritish
Born (1986-06-03) 3 June 1986 (age 38)
Toomebridge, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Current teamBonovo Action BMW
Bike number50
Websiteelaverty.com
Motorcycle racing career statistics
MotoGP World Championship
Active years20152016
ManufacturersHonda, Ducati
Championships0
2016 championship position13th (77 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
36 0 0 0 0 86
250cc World Championship
Active years20072008
ManufacturersHonda, Aprilia
Championships0
2008 championship position21st (8 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
29 0 0 0 0 14
125cc World Championship
Active years2004
ManufacturersHonda
Championships0
2004 championship positionNC (0 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
1 0 0 0 0 0
Superbike World Championship
Active years20112014, 20172022
ManufacturersYamaha, Aprilia, Suzuki, Ducati, BMW
Championships0
2022 championship position16th (36 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
242 13 35 4 5 1678.5
Supersport World Championship
Active years20082010
ManufacturersYamaha, Honda
Championships0
2010 championship position2nd (252 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
29 12 19 6 6 508

For 2022, Laverty is contracted to ride for satellite BMW team Bonovo in World Superbike Championship.[1] Midway through the season, Laverty announced his intended retirement at the end of 2022, partly due to poor race results, to continue with the same team as a co-owner and rider coach.[2][3]

During 2021, Laverty rode in some World Superbike events before his RC Squadra Corse team withdrew from racing; further rides later in the season were as a replacement for injured BMW factory rider Tom Sykes.[4]

Career

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Early career

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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.[5] He had previously finished 9th overall as a series rookie in 2005.

250cc World Championship (2007–2008)

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For 2007, he raced in the 250cc Grand Prix World Championship for LCR Honda[6] finishing in 25th place overall with a best result of 14th. A strong run at Barcelona produced no points due to an engine problem.[7]

For 2008 it was expected that he 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.[8] He scored points in China and Portugal, but at Le Mans he crashed at the one remaining wet corner as the circuit dried.[9]

Supersport World Championship (2008–2010)

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Plans for him to make his World Superbike debut later that year[8] were scrapped when Chris Walker joined the team full-time, but he instead joined the factory Yamaha team in World Supersport as a temporary replacement for the injured Fabien Foret. Despite riding injured following a crash at the 2008 Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix a week earlier, he moved up from an early 7th to battle championship leader Andrew Pitt and teammate Broc Parkes for 2nd. Parkes got the better of him, but he finished on the podium after surviving contact with Pitt which eliminated the Honda rider. He decided before this race to end his 250cc season, and focus on a full-time WSS ride for 2009.[10]

The young Irish man signed with the Parkalgar Honda World Supersport team for the 2009 season.[11] 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)

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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.[12] Later that afternoon, Laverty completed the double by winning race two, with fellow Yamaha teammate Marco Melandri taking second spot.[13] For 2012 Laverty rode a factory-specification Aprilia, partnering Max Biaggi.

MotoGP World Championship (2015–2016)

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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.[14]

Laverty remained with the team – now riding Ducati Desmosedici GP14.2 motorcycles – for the 2016 season, where he partnered Yonny Hernández.[15] In Argentina, he achieved his best results in MotoGP career with 4th place.

Timeline

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In 2008 he 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 he moved up to the Superbike World Championship with the factory Yamaha World Superbike team,[16] 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.[17] 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.[18]

For 2019 he was contracted to ride in the Superbike World Championship for Team Go Eleven on a Ducati Panigale.[18]

During 2021 Laverty rode a few times for under-financed RC Squadra Corse BMW team and as a replacement for injured Chaz Davies.

For 2022, Laverty has signed to race in Superbike World Championship for satellite BMW team Bonovo, together with team-mate Loris Baz.[19]

Career statistics

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Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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By season

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Season Class Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
2004 125cc Honda Red Bull Rookies Honda 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2007 250cc Honda Honda LCR 17 0 0 0 0 6 25th
2008 250cc Aprilia Blusens Aprilia 12 0 0 0 0 8 21st
2015 MotoGP Honda Aspar MotoGP Team 18 0 0 0 0 9 22nd
2016 MotoGP Ducati Pull & Bear Aspar Team 18 0 0 0 0 77 13th
Total 66 0 0 0 0 100

By class

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Class Seasons 1st GP 1st Pod 1st Win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp
125cc 2004 2004 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
250cc 2007–2008 2007 Qatar 29 0 0 0 0 14 0
MotoGP 2015–2016 2015 Qatar 36 0 0 0 0 86 0
Total 2004, 2007–2008, 2015–2016 66 0 0 0 0 100

Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Pts
2004 125cc Honda RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED RIO GER GBR
25
CZE POR JPN QAT MAL AUS VAL NC 0
2007 250cc Honda QAT
18
SPA
14
TUR
17
CHN
17
FRA
15
ITA
20
CAT
19
GBR
Ret
NED
21
GER
Ret
CZE
Ret
RSM
15
POR
14
JPN
19
AUS
16
MAL
17
VAL
21
25th 6
2008 250cc Aprilia QAT
Ret
SPA
Ret
POR
15
CHN
13
FRA
Ret
ITA
13
CAT
16
GBR
Ret
NED
16
GER
15
CZE
16
RSM
Ret
INP
C
JPN AUS MAL VAL 21st 8
2015 MotoGP Honda QAT
18
AME
16
ARG
17
SPA
18
FRA
14
ITA
15
CAT
12
NED
Ret
GER
17
INP
19
CZE
Ret
GBR
17
RSM
19
ARA
14
JPN
17
AUS
19
MAL
19
VAL
Ret
22nd 9
2016 MotoGP Ducati QAT
12
ARG
4
AME
12
SPA
9
FRA
11
ITA
13
CAT
13
NED
7
GER
11
AUT
18
CZE
6
GBR
12
RSM
14
ARA
14
JPN
Ret
AUS
14
MAL
12
VAL
16
13th 77

Supersport World Championship

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By season

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Season Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
2008 Yamaha Yamaha World Supersport 2 0 1 0 0 20 21st
2009 Honda Parkalgar Honda 14 4 8 1 1 236 2nd
2010 Honda Parkalgar Honda 13 8 10 5 5 252 2nd
Total 29 12 19 6 6 508

Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
2008 Yamaha QAT AUS SPA NED ITA GER SMR CZE GBR EUR
12
ITA
3
FRA POR 21st 20
2009 Honda AUS
5
QAT
1
SPA
9
NED
1
ITA
4
RSA
1
USA
2
SMR
2
GBR
5
CZE
5
GER
2
ITA
2
FRA
13
POR
1
2nd 236
2010 Honda AUS
1
POR
11
SPA
5
NED
1
ITA
1
RSA
1
USA
2
SMR
1
CZE
Ret
GBR
1
GER
1
ITA
3
FRA
1
2nd 252

Superbike World Championship

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By season

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Season Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
2011 Yamaha Yamaha World Superbike Team 26 2 6 0 0 303 4th
2012 Aprilia Aprilia Racing Team 27 1 6 0 1 263.5 6th
2013 Aprilia Aprilia Racing Team 27 9 19 2 4 424 2nd
2014 Suzuki Voltcom Crescent Suzuki 24 1 2 0 0 161 10th
2017 Aprilia Milwaukee Aprilia 26 0 0 0 0 157 10th
2018 Aprilia Milwaukee Aprilia 21 0 2 1 0 158 8th
2019 Ducati Team GoEleven 24 0 0 0 0 81 15th
2020 BMW BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team 22 0 0 1 0 55 15th
2021 BMW RC Squadra Corse 19 0 0 0 0 40 19th
2022 BMW Bonovo Action BMW 27 0 0 0 0 36* 16th*
Total 243 13 35 4 5 1678.5

Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2011 Yamaha AUS
4
AUS
15
EUR
Ret
EUR
14
NED
7
NED
6
ITA
1
ITA
1
USA
5
USA
4
SMR
5
SMR
13
SPA
4
SPA
6
CZE
5
CZE
5
GBR
2
GBR
2
GER
4
GER
5
ITA
5
ITA
4
FRA
5
FRA
3
POR
19
POR
2
4th 303
2012 Aprilia AUS
Ret
AUS
8
ITA
5
ITA
6
NED
5
NED
3
ITA
C
ITA
3
EUR
15
EUR
Ret
USA
5
USA
6
SMR
7
SMR
Ret
SPA
5
SPA
2
CZE
5
CZE
5
GBR
10
GBR
4
RUS
4
RUS
Ret
GER
2
GER
2
POR
13
POR
1
FRA
7
FRA
4
6th 263.5
2013 Aprilia AUS
2
AUS
1
SPA
NC
SPA
Ret
NED
4
NED
1
ITA
3
ITA
1
GBR
7
GBR
3
POR
Ret
POR
1
ITA
3
ITA
Ret
RUS
Ret
RUS
C
GBR
2
GBR
3
GER
15
GER
2
TUR
1
TUR
1
USA
3
USA
1
FRA
3
FRA
2
SPA
1
SPA
1
2nd 424
2014 Suzuki AUS
1
AUS
Ret
SPA
5
SPA
6
NED
Ret
NED
Ret
ITA
7
ITA
9
GBR
Ret
GBR
13
MAL
3
MAL
7
ITA
9
ITA
7
POR
8
POR
9
USA
Ret
USA
4
SPA
6
SPA
6
FRA
19
FRA
Ret
QAT
9
QAT
Ret
10th 161
2017 Aprilia AUS
8
AUS
10
THA
Ret
THA
15
SPA
8
SPA
9
NED
8
NED
8
ITA
NC
ITA
7
GBR
13
GBR
Ret
ITA
6
ITA
5
USA
Ret
USA
6
GER
10
GER
Ret
POR
7
POR
4
FRA
6
FRA
17
SPA
8
SPA
Ret
QAT
4
QAT
7
10th 157
2018 Aprilia AUS
8
AUS
15
THA
9
THA
Ret
SPA SPA NED NED ITA
12
ITA
9
GBR
6
GBR
Ret
CZE
6
CZE
4
USA
4
USA
3
ITA
3
ITA
8
POR
Ret
POR
7
FRA
9
FRA
11
ARG
5
ARG
Ret
QAT
4
QAT
C
8th 158
Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts
R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2 R1 SR R2
2019 Ducati AUS
12
AUS
9
AUS
9
THA
Ret
THA
DNS
THA
Ret
SPA
15
SPA
6
SPA
6
NED
14
NED
C
NED
13
ITA
WD
ITA
WD
ITA
WD
SPA SPA SPA ITA ITA ITA GBR
DNS
GBR
DNS
GBR
DNS
USA
11
USA
14
USA
12
POR
Ret
POR
15
POR
14
FRA
9
FRA
13
FRA
12
ARG
DNS
ARG
13
ARG
7
QAT
9
QAT
9
QAT
6
15th 81
2020 BMW AUS
11
AUS
DNS
AUS
DNS
SPA
15
SPA
13
SPA
Ret
POR
10
POR
20
POR
12
SPA
16
SPA
16
SPA
14
SPA
8
SPA
14
SPA
11
SPA
11
SPA
11
SPA
7
FRA
Ret
FRA
15
FRA
14
POR
12
POR
16
POR
12
15th 55
2021 BMW SPA
Ret
SPA
16
SPA
17
POR
18
POR
8
POR
9
ITA
DNS
ITA
13
ITA
15
GBR
13
GBR
12
GBR
15
NED NED NED CZE CZE CZE SPA SPA SPA FRA FRA FRA SPA SPA SPA SPA
12
SPA
C
SPA
11
POR
9
POR
9
POR
10
ARG
13
ARG
15
ARG
16
INA INA INA 19th 40
2022 BMW SPA
10
SPA
11
SPA
12
NED
DNS
NED
DNS
NED
DNS
POR
15
POR
Ret
POR
14
ITA
13
ITA
12
ITA
14
GBR
20
GBR
23
GBR
Ret
CZE
19
CZE
18
CZE
DNS
FRA
18
FRA
18
FRA
Ret
SPA
10
SPA
14
SPA
14
POR
15
POR
15
POR
16
ARG
14
ARG
19
ARG
11
INA
14
INA
17
INA
16
AUS
18
AUS
15
AUS
Ret
16th 36

* Season still in progress.

References

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  1. ^ Bonovo BMW team signs Laverty, Baz for 2022 WSBK season motorsport.com, 22 October 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021
  2. ^ Eugene Laverty set to retire from racing as former World Superbike Championship runner-up prepares for new challenge Belfast Newsletter, 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022
  3. ^ Laverty to retire from WSBK, take Bonovo BMW role in 2023 motorsport.com, 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022
  4. ^ Eugene Laverty: Northern Irishman secures WSBK ride for 2022 BBC Sport, 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022
  5. ^ "Honda Racing Team News with Try My Sport". Archived from the original on 12 October 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  6. ^ "Apologetic Coulthard Suffers 'nightmare'". Crash. 25 July 1999.
  7. ^ http://www.bikehq.co.uk/news/article/7,257/Eugene-Laverty-MotoGP-race-report/[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b "Yahoo UK & Ireland - Sports News | Live Scores | Results". uk.sports.yahoo.com.
  9. ^ "Laverty fails to finish 250 race". BBC News. 18 May 2008.
  10. ^ "250: Laverty quits Blusens to seek WSS fortune". Crash. 22 September 2008.
  11. ^ "Sagittarius Marketing - Marketing News | the latest marketing news from Sagittarius Marketing". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  12. ^ "Laverty takes famous first WSBK race win". Superbike World Championship. Dorna Sports. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  13. ^ Marsden, Liam (8 May 2011). "Laverty does the double". Motor Cycle News. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  14. ^ "Jorge Lorenzo beats Valentino Rossi". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 June 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  15. ^ "Aspar MotoGP team swaps Honda for Ducati, keeps Laverty for 2016". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  16. ^ "Laverty graduates to WSBK with Yamaha". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  17. ^ "Monza WSB: Laverty does the double". www.motorcyclenews.com.
  18. ^ a b Eugene Laverty secures spot in World Superbikes for 2019 Belfast Telegraph, 24 November 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019
  19. ^ Bonovo action BMW Racing Team to line up with Eugene Laverty and Loris Baz in the 2022 WorldSBK. BMW Group, 22 October 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021
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