Eugene Laverty doubts LCR Honda deal for 2015

Eugene Laverty doesn’t believe he has a serious opportunity to be joining Cal Crutchlow in the LCR Honda MotoGP squad next season.

The Crescent Suzuki World Superbike rider has spoken to LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello about a production Honda RCV1000R ride, but that seat is certain to be taken by Moto3 world championship leader Jack Miller.

HRC has been conducting all negotiations with Aussie Miller directly, with Cecchinello revealing as late as last weekend’s Czech Republic MotoGP round in Brno that he has never spoken to Miller or his management about a 2015 contract.

An announcement on Miller’s LCR Honda deal was expected in Brno, but is now likely to come prior to or during Silverstone’s British MotoGP round later this month.

Laverty was in Brno last weekend for lengthy talks about a MotoGP switch and he is most keen on replacing Andrea Iannone at Pramac Ducati.

He is well known to new Ducati boss Gigi Dall’Igna from his stint with Aprilia’s World Superbike squad and the Irishman has also previously worked with Pramac team boss Francesco Guidotti.

But Laverty believes an LCR option has never been a serious one because of senior Honda management’s eagerness to fast track Miller up from the Moto3 series in 2015.

Laverty, who raced for LCR in the 250GP class back in 2007, spoke exclusively to MCN in Brno and he said: “With Lucio he has got Cal and the second rider will be placed by HRC, so there was never anything really clear there. It was nice Lucio had some interest and I’ve always had a good relationship with him but I can’t see anything happening there. It is a matter of HRC finalising things with Jack Miller or another rider.”