Eugene Laverty is bidding farewell to his famous ‘50' plate as he heads to the World Superbike Championship in 2011 with the official Yamaha factory team. The Irishman has been forced to change the number which has served him well over the last nine years because Suzuki's Sylvain Guintoli currently has the plate. Instead, Laverty will now run with the number ‘58'.

Laverty first fielded ‘50' in 2002 when he made his debut in the British 125cc Championship, and has kept it ever since. His best results with the number were achieved in 2009 and 2010 in World Supersport, when he notched up 12 wins and twice finished championship runner-up on the Parkalgar Honda.

Laverty is certainly sorry to see it go. "I don't have an emotional attachment to it, but I do feel it has been very significant in my career so far, and for that reason I am a bit sad to be parting with it," he admits."I don't have a choice, but I did have a choice in choosing my new number, 58. I like it because it's probably the nearest you can get to 50. I'm sure I'll go back to it when I get the opportunity. This year Sylvain has it but I'd definitely like to get it back as soon as I can."