Eugene Laverty has signed to join the Yamaha World Superbike team for 2011.

Yamaha has signed a contract with current World Supersport title contender Eugene Laverty to join the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team on the YZF-R1 alongside MotoGP rider Marco Melandri for the 2011 season.

Laverty, 24, from Northern Ireland is a proven racer, having come second to Yamaha’s reigning World Supersport Champion Cal Crutchlow in the 2009 championship with four race wins.

“It’s great to have a contract signed at this stage while still fighting for the title in the Supersport class. I desperately want to win this year before moving on,” said Laverty.

“When I rode the Yamaha YZF-R6 in World Supersport in 2008 I was having a tough time in 250s, it’s nice that Yamaha brought me to the fore and are now giving me the opportunity within Superbike.

“Ben Spies winning the championship in 2009 and Cal Crutchlow now stepping up and winning races shows the bike and team are more than capable so the rest is up to me.

“I think with the team support and a good testing schedule we can start the 2011 championship ready to be competitive from the first race and be on the podium as early as possible. Having a teammate like Marco Melandri is great, he has a wealth of experience to learn from so I’m going to enjoy riding with him.”

He is currently just 12 points behind the lead in the current standings with two further rounds to go having taken seven race wins and five pole position starts so far this season.

“We’ve been very impressed with Eugene in the World Supersport Championship,” said Yamaha Motor Europe racing manager Laurens Klein Koerkamp. “He is a very talented racer who has shown great dedication to training, is focussed on victory and we know he’s a great person to work with.

“We have proved with Cal Crutchlow that we have the facility to bring young riders through from World Supersport, continue to nurture and develop them in World Superbike and provide them with further opportunities in MotoGP if the situation is right.

“We look forward to working with Eugene and believe he has the talent to continue through with Yamaha into the future.”

Laverty is no stranger to Yamaha, taking time out from the 250cc MotoGP Championship to enjoy two wild card World Supersport rides in 2008 in place of injured rider Fabien Foret.

The young rider adapted quickly, scoring an impressive podium finish with third in his second outing at Vallelunga.

The news of Laverty’s signing confirms that James Toseland has been axed from the factory Yamaha effort, while Crutchlow was recently confirmed to be joining Yamaha in MotoGP on the Tech 3 team.