Before the Aprilia World Superbike team went to Aragon for a two day private test, Max Biaggi and Eugene Laverty were in Miami as guests at the Piaggio Group Americas Dealer Convention where the Italian manufacturer announced their plans to open a new Advanced Design Center in Pasadena, Calif., to be headed by Aprilia RSV4 designer Miguel Galluzzi and also revealed that the 2012 liquid cooled version of the Guzzi California 1400, as well as their Aprilia SRV850 maxi-scooter, the Vespa 946, and Aprilia Caponord 1200 will be sold in the U.S.

Talking about the opening round, the two Aprilia riders who left Phillip Island in 1st and 13th in the standings had this to say:

“The season started in the best possible way, said Biaggi.We won Race 1 putting pressure on Carlos Checa and Ducati, pushing him into a mistake, while the comeback from last to second place in Race 2 was without a doubt one of the best performances of my career. That had never happened to me before. After the contact with Sykes in the first turn I didn’t think I’d be able to make it, but seeing the good times lap after lap, I gained confidence and pushed to the limit until the chequered flag came out. These are two results that paid us back for all the work we had done during the weekend and which give us high hopes, because when you start the season winning the atmosphere is positive”.

The feeling with the new team, headed up by Aligi Deganello, also seemed excellent: “If it’s true that ‘well begun is half done’, we are definitely off on the right foot. We established a good rapport right away with my new crew chief, Aligi Deganello, and with the mechanics, in spite of the little time we had to bring the new team together. It was important to understand right from the start what I needed and how the team would have to work to help me obtain it. The results of the first round give us confidence for the rest of the season”.

After the jump Eugene Laverty’s video, which doesn’t need a translation.

Continue reading: Max Biaggi and Eugene Laverty talk about Phillip Island round from Miami (w/videos)

....

0 comments

Phillip Island has never been very favourable to Max Biaggi nor has it been historically favourable to the Aprilia RSV4, but the Corsaro Nero (black corsair) broke his Australian duck by winning race 1, while in race 2 he literally scythed through the field to take the second step on the podium after a mishap on the first lap had left him last.

While both races offered interesting views regarding the first round of the season, it was Biaggi’s run from last place and eight seconds adrift and his subsequent 22 laps that he hurled around the Australian circuit that captured and excited fans worldwide.

“After such a difficult winter this is extremely satisfying for me.I worked without sparing myself and during the testing here at Phillip Island we truly tried a lot of things and the results prove us right. The first weekend with my new team puts us out front and I have to thank both my guys and Aprilia for that,” said the Roman Emporer. “Race one was great, and the second one maybe even better. After running off the track I only thought about focusing and giving my all, because coming back from last place is always risky. We succeeded. We’re taking home two good results and now there is nothing left to do but keep the tension high to confirm our strength at Imola.”

Eugene Laverty was one of the many walking wounded that managed to race this weekend and despite carrying a fractured hand picked up in pre-season testing and some foot injuries and a mild concussion during Friday’s practice, the Irishman can walk away from Phillip Island knowing that when he returns to full fitness for the Imola round he can battle with top riders.

Despite a DNF in the first race, the new Aprilia rider took a more than respectable 8th spot in race 2. Laverty commenting his races said: “In the end, if we think about what has happened, I’m not disappointed. I would have been happy with two positions among the first ten. It’s a shame that the bike went into neutral in the first race which forced me to run on. Race two was just as difficult due to my condition after the crashes, but all in all eight points can prove to be important for such a long and difficult championship.”

....

0 comments

Eugene Laverty returned to World Superbike action today at Phillip Island after fracturing the third metacarpal bone of his left hand a little more than ten days ago during pre-season testing.

Laverty managed 16 laps in today’s first free practice, but after just three laps in the first qualifying session unfortunately again binned his Aprilia RSV4 at turn 9 and was diagnosed with a mild concussion, but it seems no to have sustained any further injuries to his hand.

If the Aprilia rider gets the green light from the track’s medical commission (concussions seem to be only injuries that doctors will veto a rider from racing) he’ll try to take part in tomorrow’s Superpole and get into the top 16.

“In the first session I just wanted to check the condition of the hand,” said Laverty. “In the second the feeling was good for the first few laps. I was riding with a used tire and lost the rear and slipped banging my head and foot. I’m feeling okay, and there don’t seem to be any problems for tomorrow but I’m sorry about the valuable time I lost because of the crash. Tomorrow the goal is to stay in the first sixteen and get into the Superpole and looking for a good result in the two races.”

....

0 comments

After sitting out the official due day Infront test at Phillip Island after fracturing his third metacarpal bone Eugene Laverty says he will try to race in this weekend’s season opener.

Laverty fractured the bone in hand in a high speed crash during pre-season testing at the Australian circuit when the brakes on his Aprilia RSV4 knocked back. The Aprilia factory rider elected to stay in Australia and fly in his physician and since then has undergone intensive rehabilitation treatment in order to try to ride in Friday’s opening practice session, but admits that until he does he won’t know his level of fitness until he starts riding again.

“My season has suffered a minor setback following my hand injury in the test last week. Fortunately we have had more than a week off the bike which has allowed the hand to improve a huge amount. I have flown my doctor out to Australia to help with my rehabilitation and we have been working constantly on my injury for five hours every day. I feel confident that I will be fit to ride but I guess I will have to wait until Friday to find out. Honestly I feel that Carlos Checa and my teammate Max are out of reach unless I am 100% but it won’t stop me from trying!” said Laverty.

....

0 comments

Our colleagues at Motoblog.it are at Aprilia’s 2012 Superbike team presentation at Piaggio’s Spazio Broletto in Milan to present this season’s rider line-up Max Biaggi and Eugene Laverty.

Since the team will no longer be running under the Alitalia title sponsorship banner, they’ve reverted back to the original Aprilia corporate colours livery they used in 2009 when they returned to the World Superbike championship.

Technical and Sporting Director will again be Gigi Dall’Igna, and the new Team Manager will be Dario Raimondi. The late Marco Simoncelli’s crewchief Aligi Deganello will be following Max Biaggi’s side of the garage (since Giovanni Sandi left with almost all of Biaggi’s crew), while Marcus Eschembacher while be following Eugene Laverty.

After the jump, more pics and two videos from the team presentation including the RSV4 technical specifications:

Continue reading: Aprilia Factory Superbike Team presentation at Milan

....

0 comments

In a brief press release Aprilia Racing has announced that Eugene Laverty, who recently signed a two-year contract with the Italian World Superbike team, will be partnering Max Biaggi in the Aprilia Alitalia factory team this upcoming season.

Laverty has already got his first taste of the Aprilia RSV4 Factory during the annual post season test at Portimao. He rode Biaggi’s RSV4, with Aprilia Racing techs folllowing his debut, but since it was run out of the Pata Aprilia garage, it gave way to speculation that he would be placed in the satellite team, albeit with a factory bike and taking Noriyuki Haga’s place, but that rumor has now been officially laid to rest.

After adapting the small and compact bike to his riding style, Laverty posted several fast laps and ended the test day as the fastest rider with a best lap of 1.42.8 that took him to the top of the unofficial time sheet.

....

0 comments

With the 2011 World Superbike season already tucked away after the final round at Portimao, Monday was dedicated to the journalists who got a chance to ride the Superbike machines, but Tuesday was about the riders again and preparing for the upcoming 2012 season.

Several riders have switched teams as we already know, and there was definitely some excitement in the paddock as the riders got their first taste of their new machines. New Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty stunned the field as he climbed aboard the Aprilia RSV4 (it was Pata Racing’s spec bike) for the first time to take home the best time at the end of the day. The Irishman stopped the unofficial clock at 1′42.8 on a hard rear race tire.

Jonathan Rea was second fastest and just a tenth of a second from Laverty and he tested the 2011 and 2012 versions of the Honda CBR1000RR. Hiroshi Aoyama who will be in World Superbikes next season with Rea, is busy this weekend at Sepang in his penultimate MotoGP race for Gresini Honda.

Continue reading: Eugene Laverty fastest at Portimao test

....

1 comment

Just ahead of World Superbike race 1 at Portimao, Aprilia has officially confirmed that Eugene Laverty will be indeed riding a RSV4 and for the next two seasons.

At the present there is no mention whether the Irishman who is currently third in the standings, will be Max Biaggi’s new team mate or if he’ll be in a satellite team with a full spec factory Aprilia. Laverty will get a first tast of the Italian superbike on Tuesday during the first official post-season test at Portimao, when he’ll be using Noriyuki Haga’s Pata branded bike

....

0 comments

Eugene Laverty, according to Italian website motosprint.it will be riding for World Superbike’s Aprilia Alitalia Racing team and fielded alongside Max Biaggi in 2012.

Laverty was tipped to ride for BMW Italia, who was offering him a contract for 300.000 euros, but Aprilia’s Sport Director Gigi Dall’Igna stepped up his offer for the Irish rider after Marco Melandri decided to opt for the BMW factory team.

The official announcement is expected to be made during this weekend’s final round of the World Superbike season at Portimao, and Laverty will get his first taste of the RSV4 during the post-season test that takes place on Tuesday, October 18th.

....

0 comments

Yamaha’s decision to withdraw it’s factory team from the World Superbike championsip at the end of the season has left everyone more or less surprised, including Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty, who both podiumed twice for Yamaha at Silverstone, it was a cold shower and a nose dive into an unpleasant reality of today’s economics and how it effects motorcycle racing.

Melandri speaking to Motosprint.it reported that he had an option to renew with Yamaha if he was third in the championship standings by a certain date, “In the contract signed last winter there was the option to renew; if I was third in the standings by July 31st, the agreement would have been automatically renewed. “

“I was happy because after four seasons of constant changes,” added the Italian.” I had the opportunity to race two years in a row with the same bike, the same team and in the same series. Unfortunately I have to look for an alternative. I’m devastated, but I’ll find another bike, go ahead and keep my head up as I always have. ”

Eugene Laverty, who already had a two year signed contract was just as shocked. He tweeted yesterday, “Today’s news of Yamaha pulling out of WSB came as a shock to me as well. Really disappointing for the entire team - a great bunch of guys.” and the reality of not knowing where he’ll be next season made him tweet “Queues at the dole office are huge this morning.”

The 2012 World Superbike silly season is still very much up in the air, and not even a handful of riders already know where they’re going be when next year rolls around and with the new rules supposedly coming into effect, these two talented riders could be snapped up much sooner than later.

Source | motoblog.it

....

0 comments

Now this is a bombshell along the lines of the Ducati factory team pullout from World Superbikes, because now Yamaha has issued a statement that they are withdrawing their official Yamaha World Superbike team at the end of the season, which will leave Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty high and dry despite having contracts for 2012.

The reason is the usual downtrodden economy and slow sales stating they will continue to supply YEC kits for its R1 and R6 models to private racing teams.

Press release:

Continue reading: Bombshell! Yamaha to pull out of World Superbikes at the end of 2011

....

0 comments

Back in 2009 Yamaha had Ben Spies and crew chief Tom Houseworth explain the Yamaha R1 for fans and now they have rookie Eugene Laverty doing it with his 2011 R1, but with a lot less technical info, but it’s still a tour.

Laverty is currently fourth in the standings heading into the ninth round of the championship at Silverstone next weekend and the Irishman has a double win at Monza on his WSBK scorecard so far and a very fond memory of beating Kenan Sofuoglu on the last lap of the 2010 Supersport race at the British circuit.

....

0 comments