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Eugene Laverty has backed British compatriot Jonathan Rea to win this year’s WorldSBK title for the first time, with the Kawasaki Racing Team rider having collected one win and one second place from the Phillip Island season-opener.

“I've been telling everyone Johnny will be World Champion,” former World Superbike race winner Laverty tells BBC Sport ahead of his MotoGP debut next weekend. “I'd bet my house on him winning the title. He hasn't let me down by winning the first race straight out of the blocks. For me, as soon as Johnny signed that contract, it was another reason for me to make the move to MotoGP.”