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In the wake of a serious accident at Oulton Park nine months ago, Laverty has battled his way back to full fitness and earned a ride in the MCE British Superbike Championship with the new-look Splitlath Redmond Aprilia team.

And younger sibling Eugene, who took the wraps off his factory Aprilia RSV-4 during the team’s official launch in Milan during the week, says news of his brother’s return has been his “highlight of the new year”.

“The highlight of the new year has been the news of my brother John signing for Splitlath Aprilia in the British Superbike Championship alongside Florian Marino,” he said.

“Watching John’s rehabilitation has been a real lesson in professionalism as he’s dedicated his entire life to getting back to full health and fitness.

“It’s incredibly hard for active sports people to be the perfect patient in the recovery process but John has been just that and did everything correctly.

“I have little time for wannabe heroes chasing a pat on the back by turning up at an event looking like a corpse,” added the 25-year-old, who joins five-time world champion Max Biaggi in the works Aprilia World Superbike team this season.

“I’ve seen it too many times only to read of the rider landing back in hospital a fortnight later due an infection almost taking their life away. John is aiming to get back on a bike for the first round of the BSB championship, however if he’s not quite ready he’ll be smart enough to sit it out.

“Either way it’ll be an incredible achievement to be back racing after the long list of injuries he sustained last summer.”

Laverty expects reigning champion Carlos Checa to be a tough nut to crack at the opening World Superbike round at Phillip Island on February 26.

The Toomebridge man assesses this year’s line-up in the championship as the “toughest I’ve ever faced” but Laverty is fitter than he’s ever been and ready for the challenges ahead.

“In just three weeks time the curtain will fall on the 2012 season and I’m faced with the toughest line-up ever seen in the World Superbike Championship. It’s not going to be easy but that’s what makes it interesting,” he said.

“I fully expect the season opener to be tough work down under at Phillip Island as Carlos Checa will be hard to beat on the Ducati around that circuit.

“In my eyes the first two circuits of Phillip Island and Imola will be the toughest of the year for the Aprilia so if we can be strong there then I believe that we can be strong anywhere.”


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