Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty got off to a cautious start during today’s World Superbike practice sessions at the Istanbul Park track. Grip conditions were an issue for the Irish lad, but as he got more experience on the circuit, he continued to improve.

The Monaco based rider had only gotten a small 'taste' of the Turkish circuit after experiencing the track in his GP days, so he got off to a more careful start, preferring to use the morning free practice sessions to familiarise himself with the track.

By the qualifiers, however, he had come into his own, picking up the pace as his feeling on the turns improved. He ended the day with the third best time, a solid starting point to work from for Superpole tomorrow and the races on Sunday.

“Grip conditions this morning were really critical, so I preferred a more cautious approach in the first few laps. As the track started to clean up we improved my RSV4, making it more agile and looking for more grip on the rear,” said Laverty.

“The track is really nice. The way it's set up reminds me a bit of Aragon. Turn 11 is extremely fast, really incredible. I must say that the bike is already working well. The RSV4 usually isn't too hard on the rear tyre and in these conditions that could prove be a strong advantage”.