Yamaha World Superbike riders Marco Melandri and Eugene laverty are heading back on track this coming weekend after a long five week summer break. The coming weekend’s racing action will take place at the famous Nurburgring circuit situated amidst the Eifel Mountains in the West of Germany, marking round 10 of the 2011 World Superbike Championship.After the lengthy rest from racing, both Yamaha World Superbike riders are eager to get on board their YZF R1s and take up where they left off, with the success of the last round in Silverstone where Melandri and Laverty claimed an impressive double podium a head and gained valuable championship points.

With just four rounds remaining to fight for the championship title, both riders will be looking to impress and continue to battle for the championship lead. Melandri sets out for the Nurburgring for the first time in his career but he has proved in previous rounds that new tracks are not an issue for him. The Italian will take on the German circuit with the intention of pushing up to second place in the standings ahead of fellow Italian, Max Biaggi. Team-mate Laverty aims to capitalize on progress made at his home track in Silverstone and fight for another extraordinary double podium. The challenging 5.137 km German track has brought him success in the past, just last year he delivered an impressive race win in the WSS category.

The Nurburgring, also known as the “Green Hell”, is considered to be one of the most demanding purpose – built racing tracks in the world. There are many changes in elevation, six left turns, 11 right turns and few opportunities to overtake.

Eugene Laverty
Yamaha World Superbike Team
“I’ve been off the bike for a long time now and I can’t wait to get riding my R1 again. Nurburgring is a track I quite like and I’ve good memories there following my win in Supersport last year. I’ve just come from a double podium in Silverstone and that’s what I’m aiming for again at the Nurburgring. It’s not out of the question to complete the season in the top three and that’s what I’d like and what I’ll be aiming for, even though it won’t be easy to reach my team-mate.”

Andrea Dosoli - Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager

“Nurburgring is a very important race for the Yamaha World Superbike team. Following the earlier announced decision for Yamaha Motor Europe to withdraw the team at the end of this season, I’m confident that the team and riders motivation will be evident and everyone will be pushing even harder for deserved results. After such a long summer break we’re looking forward to getting back to business and have made a few technical modifications to the engine, chassis and electronics of the bike, in order to provide both riders with an even more competitive machine to fight for the race win. We expect Eugene to confirm the excellent performance evident in Silverstone, especially due to the fact that he took a race win at the Nurburgring in WSS just last year. It’s Marco’s first time on this track, but we have seen that he can quickly learn new tracks, so we’re not worried and are confident we’ll be fighting for the podium on Sunday.”

Circuit Length:
4556
Fastest Lap Ever:
1′54.595
(Max Biaggi, 9/5/2010)
Last Years Winner:
Noriyuki Haga

I enjoyed the summer break immensely.  We spend so much time travelling that it was nice to spend a few weeks at home.  I left Silverstone a very happy man after two rostrum finishes but on Monday I received the bombshell news that I was without a job for 2012.  Yamaha Europe made the decision to withdraw from the World Superbike Championship at the end of the season which was devastating for the entire team.  With Marco and I looking to remain with the team for next season both sides of the garage were fired up for a title challenge but unfortunately the state of the world economy has hit our sport once again.

Upon receiving the news I thought it a good idea to travel to Brno to visit the MotoGP paddock.  I’ve been in talks with Herve Poncharal and I’ve made no secret of the fact that this would be my number one choice for next year if the opportunity arises.  Tech 3 Yamaha are in my opinion head and shoulders above the rest of the privateer teams and on top of that I feel really at home within the Yamaha family.  With MotoGP switching to 1000cc next year it would be the perfect time to make the jump to the top class.  For now though my focus is on the final four races of the World Superbike Championship and I haven’t given up on 3rd in the championship just yet.  We’ll need eight strong finishes to have any chance of chasing down Max or Marco so I’ll see what I can do.

During August I’ve tried to spend as much time at home as possible.  I’m a real home-bird and didn’t fancy hopping on another plane so Pippa and I headed to County Wexford in Ireland for a few days break just to unwind.  We’ve travelled all around the world yet we’ve barely visited anywhere in the south of Ireland so we decided to explore the Emerald Isle a little more.  Aside from that we’ve been doing our fair share of gardening at home.  I always seem to have a spade in my hand attacking the ground which is surely man’s favourite role in the garden!

My brother John has made it back to Northern Ireland and he’s currently in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.  He’s making great progress and he’s already months ahead of where he should be.  He’s hasn’t stopped working on his rehabilitation since the moment he was able and it’s a real testament to his character how well he’s recovering.

I’m off to Germany tomorrow and I’m aiming for another double podium.  Johnny Rea will be returning after injury so I expect him to be back in the mix at the front.  The line-up of riders in WSB is so strong this season but Carlos has had the edge on us all so far.  He’s going to take some stopping at the last few rounds as he’s very strong on all four circuits.  I’d like another few wins before the season’s out so I’m sure hoping I can stop him!

Eugene

A miracle Northern Ireland champion superbike rider has vowed to be back on his feet for his baby girl’s birthday despite breaking most of the bones in his body in a horrific high-speed crash.
Four weeks ago John Laverty (28), from Toomebridge, cheated death after crashing his bike while travelling at almost 130mph.
The father-of-one, who says he is “lucky to still be here”, hurtled feet first into a barrier during practice at Oulton Park, Cheshire, shattering countless bones in his body and bruising his liver and lung.
He has undergone four major operations so far. An expert medical team helped to rebuild his broken bones including a fractured foot, ankle, knee, pelvis and ribs - and now has numerous metal screws and plates holding his body together.
After four weeks in the Royal Liverpool Hospital the 28 year old said he is “determined” to be standing for his daughter Katy’s second birthday in three months.
The rider, who won the Cup class of the British Superbike Championship in 2008, told the Belfast Telegraph that immediately after crashing he feared he had “taken his last breath”.
“I was fully conscious through it all,” he said. I crashed over a hilltop and slid into the barrier beside the pit wall feet first.
“It was such a hard impact whenever I stopped moving I was very badly winded. I was thinking: ‘Is this my last breath?’
“Suddenly I managed to take a deep breath and thought: ‘Right, I’m alive’”.
He said he immediately knew he had a lot of broken bones, but his spine was not injured.
“I had a back protector, that saved my back. It was broken in three places after the accident. It just shows you how important safety gear is, and it works.”
Medical teams rushed to help and moved him to the medical centre.
Both his hands had turned blue after his dislocated shoulders had stopped the blood flowing in his arms.
“I remember being given a strong painkiller and the doctors fixing one of my dislocated shoulders, but I must have passed out then.”
He was then transferred to Chester Hospital for one night before being moved to Royal Liverpool Hospital. But the extent of his injuries did not become apparent for a few days. “I initially thought I would be able to leave hospital quite quickly. But the doctor told me ‘you are going to be hospitalised for a while’.”
His wife Leona (31), who had been preparing for a family holiday to Portugal, rushed to his side in Liverpool. Friends and family rallied to help.
“Everyone from the medical team to our families - the Lavertys and Devines - and friends have just been fantastic.
“A friend, Patrick Graham, and his son Niall provided us with a house to stay in. Manchester Car Hire gave us a car.”
He has now been moved from the high dependency unit to a normal hospital ward and is hoping to leave in under two weeks’ time.
“All the doctors and surgeons have been fantastic. I have been very lucky. I can’t thank them enough for how they have helped me.
“It’s going to take a while. I’ll probably be in a wheelchair for about three months. But whatever the physio is telling me to do, I’ll do it. I am determined to get back and better.
“It is a miracle. It is a blessing I am still here and not in a wheelchair for life.”
Mrs Laverty, a nurse, is proud of her husband’s determination. “It is a miracle. He is a miracle. There was definitely someone looking down on him,” she said. “His determination and his positive attitude has been amazing.” She added that despite the accident she will not try and stop her husband getting back on the bike. “Whatever he decides to do, it is his decision and I’m his wife and I am standing by him 100%.” John said he now has a focus to get better. “My sister gets married on November 19 and it is my daughter Katy’s second birthday. I would love to fully stand on that day. “But I have a lot of good people looking after me. I am very, very lucky.”
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