Laverty feels robbed of pole shot by tyre pressure error

In sodden conditions at the Northamptonshire track, Aspar Ducati rider Laverty topped the opening phase of qualifying and ended up putting his two-year-old GP14.2 machine sixth on the grid.

However, the Irishman had been on course for more, as he had set an overall best second sector before suffering a major high-side crash at Farm corner on his last lap.

Speaking afterwards, an uninjured Laverty explained that the an error by his Michelin tyre technician – who reduced the pressure of his rear tyre in spite of worsening conditions – was to blame, and that the incident cost him a good chance of beating Cal Crutchlow to pole position.

Asked about the crash by Motorsport.com, Laverty said: “I knew it could happen on that lap, because the rear tyre was as if I had a slick on.

“The Michelin tyre technician made a big error with the tyre pressure, and it felt like a slick.

“I really wasn’t happy about that because the bike was so good in Q1, I was wobbling around; I’m surprised I didn’t crash before that on that lap.

“The corner before was the one where I thought I’d launch it, because the rear felt really bad. But I stayed on it and thought ‘ok, go!’, then I got launched off."

Clarifying the exact nature of the tyre mistake, the 30-year-old added: “Not enough pressure. We saw there was more water [in Q2], that was definitely the wrong direction.

"There was mention of it after Q1, I said ‘no, there’s more water out there now’, and then I went out there and was wondering why it felt so bad and I found out the change had been done.

“If the bike was like it was in Q1, I’d have a big smile on my face now. Even with the bike feeling as bad as it did, I was on course for pole.

“The wet is always the great leveller, so to be disappointed I didn’t get pole is a strange sensation.”