Laverty shocked at Yamaha withdrawal
Added on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor
Laverty shocked at Yamaha withdrawal
Eugene Laverty has spoken of his shock after hearing that Yamaha will be quitting World Superbikes at the end of the year.
The Irish rider, who signed a two-year contract with Yamaha at the start of the season after impressing in World Supersport, claimed that he had no prior warning of the announcement from Yamaha, which leaves him and teammate Marco Melandri looking for a ride in 2012.
Yamaha announced yesterday that they would be withdrawing factory support for a World Superbike entry, citing a review of their marketing operations in response to a downturn in the industry.
Speaking on Twitter yesterday, Laverty said “Today’s news of Yamaha pulling out of WSB came as a shock to me as well. Really disappointing for the entire team – a great bunch of guys.”
Melandri, who was at Kawasaki when that manufacturer pulled out of MotoGP, was also surprised by the news, particularly as he had previously suggested that he was close to signing a new contract at Yamaha.
“Long day, feel tired and sad, need a big sleep,” he wrote on Twitter. “Tomorrow is another day…”
