WSB: Laverty: 'I have to consider everything'

Eugene Laverty has refused to rule out a potential move to the British Superbike championship or even World Supersport as he is left searching for a job for the 2019 season at the eleventh hour.

The Irishman had thought he was set to remain with Shaun Muir’s effort as they move to BMW machinery in 2018, but has recently been informed he will be replaced by 2013 World Champion Tom Sykes, adding his name to an already long list of former WSB race winners without seats.

“It was a big shock,” Laverty told MCN in Qatar. “Things have been slow burning this year and we’ve known that for a couple of months but I thought everything was teed up, so to hear the news that I’m out at this stage was a tough pill to swallow after the progress we’ve made in the last two years.”

Laverty joins Marco Melandri, Xavi Fores, Loris Baz and Jordi Torres in the queue at the World Superbike job centre with increasingly few competitive seats in the series.

It’s thought a move to join Camier at Red Bull Honda could have been ruled out, but Laverty’s manager, his brother John, has been talking to teams in the paddock this weekend.

While keen to stay in World Superbikes, Laverty tells MCN he’s looking at all avenues, including BSB and World Supersport and could even end up spending a year on the sidelines.

“There have been a lot of sleepless nights since I found out,” he said. “I have to talk to everybody and see what is best for me. Everything is a possibility at this stage, but even when you look at moving championships you have to look pretty early. When I moved from MotoGP back to World Superbikes I was looking early as you have to get the best bike available and we are now on the verge of November so there aren’t many of those around in a lot of series! Right now I’m working to create an opportunity as I feel my level on my CV isn’t forgotten by a lot of people.”