Big step forward for Laverty after test

Determined to turn around his rookie season after a difficult adaptation to the 250cc class, Northern Irish rider Eugene Laverty was one of a selection of riders staying behind at Brno to undertake two days of testing. Whilst the LCR Honda MotoGP team focused their attention on the front end of Carlos Checas RC212V, the 250cc arm of Lucio Cecchinellos World Championship squadron helped solve some nagging problems for 21 year-old Laverty.

The Ulsterman completed 73 laps of the Czech Republic circuit yesterday, with his fastest time (205.47) a second and a half quicker than his best in a miserable Grand Prix where he was forced into retirement after 11 laps. Despite conditions far from perfect for riding yesterday, Laverty experienced his most positive outing yet on the kit Honda, as he explained later on.

I made a big step forward at this test. I learnt a lot about the set-up of a 250cc machine, which showed that I have been going in the wrong direction with front end. We changed the weight distribution and geometry and the bike was better everywhere; braking, turning and on the exit of the corner.