2006 sees Bennetts BSB star Michael Laverty join the ever growing list of Crash.net columnists and, in his first instalment, the young Northern Irishman sets the scene by bringing us up to date on his winter activities...
This is my first of what will be a regular column this season, I’m happy to be included in the
Crash.net crew. I hope I can keep it interesting; I will try to keep the technical details to a minimum.
I suppose I should start with my plans for 2006, I’m back with the Stobart Honda team for another season, it will be my third year with the team after graduating from Supersport into Superbikes last season. I reckon I will be a lot stronger right from the off this year, staying with the Honda and the same crew in the garage, I hope the continuity will serve me well.
The team have been working hard throughout the winter on the bikes, the development process is very time consuming but we managed to have a test in December at Almeria. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t that good to us, the first day was a wash out. I was a spectator for most of the day as Shakey fired himself into the gravel twice in under 10 laps, Rutter give him a bit a stick about that but he took it well.
Michael decided to go out and get a few laps under his belt to get a feel for the bike (I’m not talking about myself in the 3rd person here! I will just call him Rutter or blade from now on!) I wasn’t going to go out as I felt there was nothing to gain but apparently Birdy thinks I’m crap in the wet so I went out and done a few laps to practice my wet weather ability! I hope we have a wet qualifying this year, I’m going to stick it on pole, then ask him who’s crap in the wet? It’s all good banter though; I’m just thinking of his wallet, it’s too easy to chuck it up the road in the rain so I only push it when I have to!
![Michael Laverty [Pic credit: Gavan Caldwell]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/180805.jpg)
