Although Michael Laverty is '95 per cent' certain of returning to MotoGP with Paul Bird's team in 2014, he will test with the squad's MCE British Superbike effort at Cartagena next week.
The Irishman says his heart remains in the blue riband class but he is preparing for a move back to the domestic championship if it falls apart at the last minute. It is believed he will join Shane Byrne and Stuart Easton in Spain on Monday for two days.
“At the moment my future is a bit uncertain, I agreed terms with Paul Bird back in May and I that we would continue with MotoGP for 2014, but we stagnated a bit in the middle of the year and I think that Paul lost belief in the PBM project and said if we don’t have the equipment that will step us up a level next year he will walk away from MotoGP. But we had a good test in Valencia on the bike and we solved a few of our issues and I think it renewed his enthusiasm for the PBM bike even if we don’t get the Aprilia deal,” said Laverty, speaking to bikesportnews.com
“There is around a 95 per cent chance that we will be back in GP either with the PBM bike or the full Aprilia. When Paul told me that there may be a chance of not doing GP a lot of the top BSB rides had gone and I turned down some good offers to stay in GP, and I was afraid I would be left out in the lurch, but Paul was really good and he said that he would look after me and that he would put a third BSB bike on for me. They are the top team in that series so it was a good position to be in, so we are just waiting to hear from Aprilia.
“I am actually going to join the BSB team in Spain for a few days testing and I have never ridden the Kawasaki and it will keep me sharp. This way I can learn the Kawasaki just in case, especially if the MotoGP deal falls apart, and if nothing else it may give me the opportunity to do a BSB wildcard, but I will be with PBM in one form or another.
“So far as I am concerned I will have a ride but what I am on will be decided in the next week or so, and a decision will be made one way or another soon, so I am in his hands really but it is a funny situation to be in. But there are people out there who don’t have a ride, and I am lucky that I have got Paul who is looking out for me.”