With thဣe #50 already taken 💝by Sylvain Guintoli, Eugene Laverty has chosen a new racing number for his debut season in the World Superbike Championship.

Laverty, runner-up in the 2009 and 2010 World Supersport Championship, has used the #50 for the past nine years, but will race with the #5꧑8 on his factory Yamaha in♊ 2011.

"I don't have an emotionꦓal attachment to [the #50], 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 admitted.

"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 nea🦂rest you can get to 50, and I certainly wouldn't have deviated away from the number 𝄹five.

"I see it as the end of this particular era b💫ut I hope that 58 will become just as well-known by my performance on the World Superbike stage wit🎉h the official Yamaha team in 2011."

Nevertheless, 🧔Laverty is planning to switch back to the #50 when it beco🌜mes available.

"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 soo🐈n as I can. You could say I'm just giving it some time off after it has worked so hard for nine years," he joked.