Eugene Laverty has been ruled out of the fifth round of the World Superbike Championship at Imola, after the Irish rider suffered a heavy crash in the opening Free Practice session, resulting in a broken radius along with the top of the stilfold of the ulna and a broken scaphoid bone in his right hand. The Go Eleven Ducati rider also suffered a radius distal to the previous surgery and the base of the first metacarpal on his left hand.
Laverty left the Imola hospital to travel to Barcelona, where he will meet Dr Mir who will carry out the operations on his wrists, in order to get him back out on a bike in the near future. These injuries have ruled out Laverty in this weekend’s fifth round of the World Superbike season at the iconic Imola circuit, the scene of another nasty accident for the Irishman along with Alex Lowes’ PATA Yamaha two years ago.
With Team Go Eleven riderless, team manager Denis Sacchetti has called up Bennetts British Superbike star, and joint Championship leader, Tommy Bridewell to replace Laverty from Free Practice 3 onwards.
Bridewell is no stranger to the Ducati V4 R, after coming off the back of a double podium at last weekends round at Oulton Park onboard the Oxford Products Moto Rapido Ducati.
He also has had some experience of the Italian track after riding for the Supersonic team and says he is really looking forward to the opportunity.
