It took one of last year's instant successes, Eugene Laverty, no time at all to prove he was a real asset to the SBK grid, and he ended up fourth in the overall rankings with Yamaha. After the Japanese manufacturer decided to opt out for 2012, Laverty eventually landed a plum ride, one of the best available, with the official Aprilia Racing Team (photo Laverty in new leathers).

His transition to the RSV4 so far has been almost seamless, as he explains. "It was disappointing for both Marco and me having been signed in for the second year with Yamaha, but I have been fortunate to have picked up a competitive ride even though for a fair few months it was not so nice, because I was still looking for a job. It has worked out well. As soon as I got on the Aprilia it felt quite rigid but it suited me right away, and I could be fast on it right away."

Laverty has taken two of his own picks into the proven championship winning Aprilia set-up, which Laverty thinks is already working out well. "I brought two technicians along with me, Marcus Eschenbacher (former Yamaha race engineering linchpin) and Phil Marron, whom I worked with at Parkalgar before. Aprilia were open to it and the whole team gelled pretty well at the test at Portimao in the end of November last year."


Next up for Laverty are two tests at Phillip Island, one private and one official. "I will be testing at Phillip Island very soon but there will be a few other teams there too, and then the two day official test in the week running up to the race itself. The aim is to be there from the word go. Checa will be very strong but after that it will be open to anybody, so there is no reason why we cannot be fighting with Checa as well."

The season will grow to 14 rounds this year, but like most people Laverty will be keen to find out more about the all-new track on the calendar, near Moscow, before he goes there in August. "We also go to Russia this year but I do not know much about it. I think there is a very big straight and all I have seen the layout of the track and a few pictures. We get an extra day of testing before the race so it will be another day onto the weekend."

Last year Laverty vied with his then team-mate Melandri for the unofficial title of top rookie, but this year few doubt that Laverty will have a realistic chance to go for the biggest title of all.

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