WSBK: 'Finally, we did it' - Eugene Laverty makes podium return at Laguna Seca

Laverty equalled his season-best fourth place finish in the previous round at Brno in the Czech Republic as he claimed another fourth in Saturday’s opening race in the USA.

Boosted by a pole start for race two on Sunday, the Toome man made it count as he finally returned to the rostrum.

Laverty led for the first quarter of the race before he was reeled in by the hard-charging Jonathan Rea, who went on to seal victory and complete a double.

A former winner at Laguna in 2013, Laverty lost another place to Chaz Davies on lap 17, although he managed to hold third until the line, taking the final podium position by around 1.3 seconds from Alex Lowes on the Pata Yamaha.

It was a deserved result for the 32-year-old, who began the season brightly at Phillip Island before a crash in round two in Thailand set him back.

However, Laverty has battled back doggedly and an improved setting with the RSV4-RF, giving him better rear-end grip, has enabled him to show his real potential.

“It really is a relief, it’s the monkey off the back,” said the 2013 championship runner-up.

“I’ve been so close recently so it’s just nice to get that third. Finally we did it, the bike’s been working good all weekend – we were never far away.

“This morning in warm-up we were right at the sharp end, so hopefully we are here to stay.”

Laverty felt his rostrum return has been on the cards since round one in Australia in February, before his crash in the next round at the Chang International Circuit threw a spanner in the works, causing him to miss two rounds before he made a tentative return at Imola in Italy.

“It’s been coming since Phillip Island. It was like in Phillip Island race two, I was going tentatively but also pulling away. It’s a strange thing to see when you’re watching, as I’m sure a lot of people think I was pushing.

“I was trying to pull away but this bike needs rear grip and once that rear grip goes we lose out compared to our rivals - that’s clear, and I got away early.”

Team Principal Shaun Muir said Laverty thoroughly deserved the result after all his hard work to get back on the pace following his crash.

“The team is on a massive high with this fantastic result. The team deserved it, the sponsors deserved it and most of all Eugene, he’s been inching closer to the podium and worked really hard, so this was his just rewards,” he said.

“This is what we race for and the taste of champagne in the winners’ circle is fantastic, and if it wasn’t for his injuries in Thailand we would have got here sooner.

“Overall we’re continuing the progress we’ve been making from Imola where Eugene returned from injury, and this has been a very positive weekend for us.

“We can fly home now and prepare for Misano, and continue to run in the top six, where we aim to be.”