Team switch gives Glenn Irwin a new leash of life: ‘It's so refreshing'

Belfast Telegraph

4 days ago

Yesterday, Irwin finished 16th in the opening race of the weekend at Thruxton after qualifying 14th.
The Carrickfergus man and the celebrated English team parted company following a 'point of conflict' relating to Irwin's planned return from injury this weekend at Thruxton.
PBM team management felt that Irwin's comeback should be 'deferred until at least after round seven at Cadwell Park', which takes place from August 22-24.
Irwin suffered injuries including fractures to his hip socket and pelvis after a big crash at Snetterton in June.
He underwent an operation on his sacrum (pelvic area) shortly after the incident and was expected to be out of action for some time.
However, the 35-year-old recovered faster than anticipated and announced his desire to race at Thruxton.
PBM Ducati team co-owner Jordan Bird did not hold the same view, preferring Irwin to wait, and as a result they ended their agreement by mutual consent.
Irwin's deal to ride for reigning British champions Nitrous Competitions Racing alongside Kyle Ryde was quickly announced and he was passed fit to race at Thruxton by the BSB chief medical officer on Friday.
England's Scott Redding, who won the BSB title for the PBM Ducati team in 2019, will continue with the team for the remainder of the season after leaving his World Superbike rider with the MGM Bonovo Racing Ducati squad.
Redding – 11th yesterday – rode the PBM Ducati at Knockhill in Scotland on his return to BSB in July and clinched the team's first win of 2025 last month at Brands Hatch.
Irwin is now focused on adapting to the Yamaha after completing his first laps on the R1 in free practice on Friday.
'I think it's quite clear that maybe things where I was weren't ideal for everyone and I started to have a little look at what was going around,' Irwin said.
'There was a little joke: 'hey, you could ride a Yamaha at Thruxton', and I was like, 'yeah, good one', and it wasn't really in the pipeline.
'But things obviously developed and every cloud has a silver lining, and as it was becoming more and more clear that I wouldn't be racing here with original plans, this opportunity came to life and it's so, so refreshing.'
Joint team boss Jordan Bird said she wasn't comfortable with Irwin's wish to return from injury this weekend, which had led to a 'disagreement'.
'Unfortunately we've just had a little bit of a disagreement between both parties,' she said.
'I felt more comfortable asking Glenn to wait for a couple of rounds to return to full fitness, let's say.
go and I respect that, and he decided that it was time to go elsewhere.
'We support him in that decision, he's got to look after himself, his family, and his future, so the full focus for us now is on Scott.'
Irwin first joined the late Paul Bird's team in 2016 and returned to the fold for a second stint in 2023. The 11-time North West 200 Superbike winner won 19 BSB races on Ducati machinery.
Saturday's race was won by reigning champion Ryde, who edged out Danny Kent (McAMS Yamaha) by 0.179s. Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) took a close third.
Andrew Irwin was fifth behind his Honda Racing UK team-mate Tommy Bridewell, while Scott Swann came home in 17th on the Send My Bag/IWR Honda.
Richard Kerr from Kilmacrennan in Co Donegal was 20th for Michael Laverty's ROKiT BMW team.
Donegal's Rhys Irwin (Gearlink Bike Performance 15 Suzuki) took the win in the opening Supersport race from Randalstown's Eugene McManus (MMB Racing Ducati).
Reigning champion Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK) finished fourth.
In the first National Superstock 1000 race, David Allingham from Eglinton sealed a podium finish in third on the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW behind championship leader Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW), who was pipped to the win by only 0.090s by Josh Owens (SAF Holland Honda).
The second BSB race on Sunday is at 1:15pm with the final race of the weekend at 4:15pm.