Eugene Laverty bows out of WorldSBK action this weekend with the Bonovo BMW rider returning to where it all began, at Phillip Island in Australia.
After 12 full seasons in the World Superbike paddock - two on Supersport machinery before he advanced to the top class in 2011 - Laverty is set to bid farewell to competitive racing in the FIM Superbike World Championship as the 2022 season comes to a close.
With 245 WorldSBK races already under his belt, the Northern Irishman has achieved 13 victories from his 35 podiums to date - the most recent of which came while showcasing his skills on the Suzuki during Australia’s opening race of 2014.
“This is where it all started as I had my first WorldSBK race here and this is where it’s all coming to an end,” Laverty said from the Phillip Island paddock. “I have my favourite tracks on the calendar and Portimao is one but like most riders, this is another. I’ve really enjoyed the track as it’s so fast and flowing, also in testing, I really enjoy the natural layout of the track.
“This is where I got my last win in 2014 and also my first WorldSBK race here in 2011; they’re great memories that I have here.
“If I had to pick one memory on the spot right now, then it’d probably be the last win here in 2014 because I think I was tenth at the first corner and then ripped through the field! Similar to what Alvaro did in 2019, I just cleared off and it was one of those incredible days and one of the easiest wins I ever had.”
