Laverty’s Land in Losail

A wise motorcycle racer once said “Sometimes you have to go through bad times to learn about yourself.” That man was Valentino Rossi, but it is a statement which holds true for us all. It’s not until we are pushed to the limit, tested or questioned that our true abilities blossom and we all develop the skills which will make us stronger, better, faster and more capable to deal with what life throws at us.

One man who has certainly been through a series of trying and mentally draining times over the last few years is Northern Ireland’s own Eugene Laverty. After competing successfully in the UK in both the 125cc and Supersport arena’s, Eugene made the bold move to the World GP scene signing for Lucio Cecchinello’s 250cc squad in what is one of the toughest divisions in the series.

With running costs of 250cc GP bikes on the rise and field numbers dwindling, it became an almost impossible battle to be competitive, with the gap in technological development between the teams at the head of the pack and those in midfield increasing with each passing season. Dorna is currently working to correct this with the instigation of the new Moto2 class, which although scheduled for implementation in 2011 could be on track as early as 2010 in a mixed field with the retiring 250cc machinery. Although it will be sad to see the demise of another classic form of prototype monster, bringing the competitive natural back and providing it on a budget so it is the best rider who wins will only help to benefit the sport and the fans.

Unfortunately for Eugene, this change came a little too late. After struggling to achieve results on archaic machinery, he knew that pole positions and podiums were out of the question, the young lad from Ballymena had to keep disciplined and focus on realistic targets like finishing in the top fifteen positions.

From an external view the 2007 and 2008 seasons may have seemed like a waste of time as Eugene battled bravely to take points at the various meetings. However, for the people in the know, Laverty’s results weren’t going unnoticed. Battling for results on outdated and uncompetitive machinery, he won many admirer's. Towards the tail-end of the 2008 season, he was called up by the factory Yamaha World Supersport squad who asked if he would like to fill in for the injured Fabien Foret at the Donington and Vallelunga rounds of the Championship.

He jumped at the chance to show the world his true potential on competitive machinery and managed to take an impressive third at Vallelunga while still carrying an injury he had sustained at Indianapolis the week prior. After this stunning display Eugene became one of the main targets for a number of teams in the paddock.

He eventually opted to sign with the Parkalgar Honda squad which had run Craig Jones in the 2008 campaign. Confident in his abilities he toiled away quietly behind the scenes working patiently and methodically on bike setup over the winter, perfecting his weapon of choice and remaining hidden within the main pack. However, all the signs and sounds that came out of the garage suggested that things were heading in the right direction and that quickly became evident as round one at Phillip Island got underway.

Laverty burst to the front in the opening race, managing to mix it with former and reigning Supersport champions Kenan Sofuoglu and Andrew Pitt respectively before dropping back in the later stages. He lost out on fourth place in the final corner after running just a fraction off line allowing Cal Crutchlow to sneak through on the run up to the line.

Never the less, Eugene now knew he could compete and beat the best and he wasted little time in showing the rest of the world. After a nail biting Supersport race at Qatar, Eugene managed to out manoeuvre and out smart his opponents with a masterfully controlled race. The World Supersport class is a tough category to compete in with unbelievably close racing and fairing bashing a plenty, the class is nicknamed the axe murderers category and the riders are given no time to rest as it is literally full out war for 40 minutes from lights to chequered flag.

All four of the front riders rode continuously on the limit pressurising each other lap after lap hoping for a mistake, but there were none forthcoming. Utilising his knowledge and experience which he gained through competing in 250GP's where no inch is given and you are required to be perfect every lap, Eugene rode faultlessly, smooth and precise. Even when under intense scrutiny on the final lap, he remained calm confident in his ability to pass his rival Andrew Pitt on the way to the line.

The team were delighted with his performance and after a tough campaign in 2008 which resulted in the loss of their team rider and friend Craig Jones, this victory helped to honour and pay respect to the hard work that Jonesy had invested in the team a fact that Eugene paid homage to afterwards.

“It was a strange race because it was a lot easier to drive and follow than lead; but my Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR is brilliant and I was able to get good drive and pass Andrew early on the straight on the last lap to win. It is unbelievable that for the last couple of years I have been fighting for points and now I am winning a race on my second attempt with Parkalgar Honda and challenging for a World title. All I can say is thank you to the whole Parkalgar Honda team, Simon, Brains, everyone – not to mention the Parkalgar circuit, Ohlins, Motec and all the team partners. I dedicate this win to Craig Jones who did all the work bringing the team to this level.”

Eugene Laverty will be a major contender in the World Supersport Championship this year and if things go well who knows what his future could hold. Maybe a switch back to the GP paddock on the new Moto2 bikes or a move into World Superbikes. Whatever may happen, Eugene is certainly a rider who has developed as a rider and learned a lot through his experience in 250cc. At twenty-two he has years ahead of him and where he goes from here is anyone’s guess, but one thing is for sure, he will certainly be one to watch out for in 2009.

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