Tenth in the MotoGP™ World Championship standings has Eugene Laverty (Aspar Team MotoGP) as the second highest placed rider without a 2017 contract already in place. Aspar’s move to Ducati machinery has come as a blessing for Laverty, the Irishman having already claimed 39 more points than he did throughout the entirety of the 2015 season. But where to in 2017 for the flying Irishman?
As reported by Crash.net, Laverty’s main aim for the coming season is to secure competitive machinery. His current GP14.2 was used during the 2014 season and, despite respectable results from both himself and Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing), is beginning to show its age. Crash.net believe the Aspar squad are in the process of organising a 2016-spec Ducati, but may only be able to source one for the team, the other rider using a GP15.
Staying in the MotoGP™ paddock is not Laverty’s only option; several top teams in the WorldSBK paddock have also approached the 13-times WorldSBK race winner. He has already passed on an offer to ride alongside Jonathan Rea in the Kawasaki factory team, wishing to wait and see if competitive MotoGP™ machinery became available. The latest rumours suggest Laverty used World Ducati Week as a chance to meet with Ducati management and discuss the option of moving to the Ducati WorldSBK team. It’s believed he’s also in talks with Yamaha and Honda about a possible WorldSBK return, Laverty making his WorldSBK debut with Yamaha in 2011.
“You know I never comment until a deal is done,” Laverty told Crash.net. “We've made real progress in MotoGP this season and I'm certain that with the right package we can make another step in 2017. But winning is what racing is all about in my mind, so I'm taking the WorldSBK interest very seriously.”