World Superbikes: Eugene Laverty misses out as BMW retain Tom Sykes

Eugene Laverty and Tom Sykes are the only two BMW riders on the World Superbike grid

Eugene Laverty will have to look for a new seat for the 2021 World Superbike Championship after losing his ride with the factory BMW team.

BMW have retained the services of 2013 champion Sykes to ride alongside Dutch rider Michael van der Mark next year.

Laverty, 34, moved to the team for this season after a injury-hit campaign with GoEleven Ducati in 2019.

The Northern Irishman sits 14th in the standings after threerounds, four places behind Englishman Sykes.

Van der Mark, the 2014 World Supersport champion, was named as BMW's first rider for 2021 in July.

Kawasaki's five-time champion Jonathan Rea leads the standings ahead of the next round in Aragon this weekend.