Michael Laverty signs for Relentless Suzuki

Michael Laverty has signed to ride for the Relentless by TAS Suzuki team in BSB this year. He joins National Superstock champion Alastair Seeley in the all-Irish team line-up.

Laverty won the 2007 British Supersport title with the Relentless Suzuki team and then switched to BSB with the team in 2008.

Last year he raced a limited AMA Superbike programme with Celtic Suzuki but finished second to Mat Mladin at Road America.

He said: “When Phillip rang just before Christmas to tell me I’d got the ride it was the news I wanted so badly to hear. I think we’ll have a really good shot at it (the title) on this bike.

“I rode their 2009 bike at Kirkistown and Bishopscourt last year and, compared to the Relentless GSX-R1000 I rode in 2008, it’s so different – a big step over what I rode before – and I think we’ve got new stuff coming so we can improve on that this year.

Laverty displaces Ian Lowry who finished fifth in BSB in his rookie season last year but is chasing a Moto2 ride, although there is still the offer of a ride for him on the table with  the Relentless by TAS team.

Read the January 13 edition of MCN for the full story.