Laverty critical of red flag ruling
Eugene Laverty feels World Superbike organisers should revise rules which determine the finishing order once a race-concluding red flag has been shown after missing out on a podium at Silverstone.
The Irishman believed he had finished in at least third position when the second WSBK race at Silverstone was halted at the mid-way point due to adverse conditions, Laverty having overtaken a retired Jakub Smrz well before the red flag was shown.
However, the result would be declared with Loris Baz and Smrz in second and third positions, despite both riders having fallen out of the race before it was stopped.
In the past, rules have stated that those not on a bike at the time of the stoppage cannot be classified in the final results, though this was amended for 2012. However, while Laverty accepts the ruling that the results be determined by the order from the last completed lap (hence why Baz was classified in second), he could not understand why Smrz was reinstated since he fell two laps before the race was called.
Laverty wasn't the only rider to lose out in the case of the new ruling, with Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri dropped from a potential third and fourth to seventh and eighth when Baz, Smrz, Carlos Checa and Maxime Berger were all reinstated ahead of them, despite each having retired by the time the race was stopped.
"I should have stood on the podium at the last three races but for one reason or another I missed out. I really enjoyed riding in the rain at Silverstone in race two as I have a very good feeling for the RSV4 in the wet conditions.
"Jakub Smrz and Loris Baz made mistakes, ended up in the gravel trap and then made their way onto the podium! There was a rule change over the winter allowing riders no longer in the race to be classified in the case of a red flag.
"I warned the organisers that this was a bad idea at the start of the season but rules are rules so I had no problem with Loris Baz finishing on the podium. However, the organisers made an error and placed Jakub Smrz in 3rd even though he'd crashed two laps before! That sort of thing should not happen in World Championship racing."
Indeed, Laverty feels it is a rule that can be manipulated to benefit those who have crashed, jokingly pointing out that he should have attempted to get the second Moscow race stopped in order to maintain his third place after crashing on the final lap.
"I made a costly error and unfortunately I took Johnny Rea down too. The biggest mistake I made, however, was getting back on my feet so quickly. If only I'd laid on the ground for a little longer the red flags would have come out and I'd have been awarded third position on countback! Have I made my point yet? This rule is a joke and it's only a matter of time before riders are taking full advantage of it."
With just three rounds remaining, Aprilia rider Laverty is currently classified seventh in the standings, but feels he has endured a 'woeful' season having not yet stepped atop the podium.
"I've had a woeful season and I'm really not happy with how things have turned out. However, I've learned valuable lessons which will make me much stronger next year. There are still six races remaining so I still have a chance to salvage my season."
