May 19, 2024

Victory And Series Lead For Irwin At Sunny Donington

Glenn Irwin and the Hager PBM Ducati team took another win in the 2024 British Superbike Championship at a sun-kissed Donington Park today with the overall results across the weekend enabling them to extend their championship lead to 13 points.

After setting fourth fastest time in free practice, a difficult Superpole session put Glenn back in eighth for yesterday’s opening race and although he was quickly running inside the top six, positions were changing regularly. Indeed, it looked like sixth would be the outcome but after fellow Ducati rider Christian Iddon crashed, the race was stopped on lap 15 and Glenn subsequently awarded fifth place.
 
With the second fastest lap of the race, the Carrickfergus rider started today’s 12-lap Sprint race from the middle of the front row, immediately taking the lead at the first corner. After quickly opening a lead of more than a second, he was able to control it for the remainder of the race and although BMW’s Leon Haslam closed in over the final laps, Glenn duly took the chequered flag just under half a second clear for his fourth win of the season.

Starting the final race of the weekend from the middle of the front row once more, Glenn took the lead for the first time on the fifth lap but after that it was a tough battle with the leading four riders – Glenn, Tommy Bridewell, Danny Kent and Jason O’Halloran – constantly changing places. Glenn looked well on course for a podium but in the end, he had to settle for fourth with just 1.2s separating them at the end of 20 laps.
 
The next round takes place at Knockhill on June 14/16.
 
Glenn Irwin: “We had a bit of a problem with the bike after the North West 200 which hindered us on Friday and Saturday, and we were nowhere but the team worked beyond midnight on Saturday to give me a bike I could win on. The bike felt so good today and the hard work paid dividends in the first race. I was able to go flat out from the word go with some incredibly fast laps and we were ultimately rewarded with the victory. The final race of the weekend was just one of those you’re glad to be involved in. And whilst I would have been happy with any of the top four positions, I feel it should have been a podium. On the plus side, it was my first win on the GP circuit and we’ve extended our lead in the championship so on we go. I feel great and I’m enjoying the pressure of being the championship leader.”

Frank Bird, Team co-owner: “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster of a weekend with the first two days being a bit scrappy due to the issue with the bike but if fifth is the outcome on a bad day, then it’s not too bad. Full credit to the team though, they rectified the issue, and we came out swinging today with a superb win and whilst we couldn’t repeat it in the final race, it was a pleasure to watch and typified why BSB’s so popular. Any of the four could have won and the results could have been different, but we come away from Donington Park having extended our lead in the championship and the whole team is working incredibly well together.”
 
British Superbike Championship race one (14 laps)
1 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)
2 Tommy Bridewell (Honda) +0.559s
3 Leon Haslam (BMW) +1.060s
4 Danny Kent (Yamaha) +1.312s
5 Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) +2.748s
6 Max Cook (Kawasaki) +3.078s
 
British Superbike Championship race two (12 laps)
1 Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati)
2 Leon Haslam (BMW) +0.335s
3 Tommy Bridewell (Honda) +2.308s
4 Danny Kent (Yamaha) +3.920s
5 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) +5.903s
6 Christian Iddon (Ducati) +11.201s
 
British Superbike Championship race three (20 laps)
1 Jason O’Halloran (Kawasaki)
2 Tommy Bridewell (Honda) +1.068s
3 Danny Kent (Yamaha) +1.209s
4 Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) + 1.259s
5 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) +5.064s
6 Leon Haslam (BMW) +5.969s
 
Championship Points (after three rounds)
1 Irwin 115pts
2 Kent 102
3 Ryde 95
4 Bridewell 93
5 Iddon 84
6 Haslam 82
 
Pictures (courtesy of Double Red): Glenn Irwin in action and on the podium at Donington Park

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI WRAP-UP SUCCESSFUL TESTING PROGRAMME

April 24, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team and rider Glenn Irwin have completed another successful R&G Official test at Oulton Park, with the opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship now just over a week away. Irwin and the team have spent the last two days at the Cheshire track, grabbing as much track time as possible in the final days on track before the season begins. After ending last weekend’s Donington Park test on top, the team was keen to continue to push in the final two days, working through a busy schedule and trying a host of new components and ideas. Irwin ended the test second quickest overall after clocking the best lap of Thursday afternoon’s final session, banking a 1min 33.313s lap on his last run. He leaves feeling confident about next weekend’s opening round and can’t wait to get back out. Glenn Irwin: “That’s us finished pre-season testing and I’m feeling good. We’ve been working, working, working and the bike felt better today but we still have a bit of work to do. “It’s been really, really enjoyable, we’ve tried a number of different things and I think now we’re finding a bit of a balance. Today we unlocked something in that middle session, I did a good few 33s in that run so I think we’re strong. “It’s definitely been very productive. We haven’t gone for lap times, we’ve been focussed on getting the bike right and when that happens, the lap times come. That’s what we’re starting to see and I think we’re in a good place to come back next week and start the season.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s a mega way to finish, this puts us in really good stead for the season and we’ve got a lot of boxes ticked off with the bike. All the boys are working well, we’ve got everyone back into the swing of things and Glenn seems to be riding well, so we’re in a good window for the first round. “It’s been a long winter but all the hard work seems to be paying off and we’re right in the mix. It means we can come here for Round One and we’re in a great place to start from.” The opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend, May 3-5.

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI END SUCCESSFUL SECOND TEST ON TOP

April 19, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team continued its strong testing form at Donington Park as rider Glenn Irwin once again ended the two days fastest overall. Although the team is still not concentrating on lap times, Irwin picked up where he left off at Circuito de Navarra earlier this month as he led the way on Friday before going even quicker on Day Two with an impressive fastest lap of 1min 27.015s in the final session. After a strong first test where he topped the timesheets at Navarra, the team headed to the second R&G Official test at Donington Park looking to work on a number of different things. Irwin was consistently quick across the opening day, ending Friday fastest overall with a 1:27.022sec lap in the final session to end the day at the top of the timesheets with what was the fastest ever BSB lap of the iconic track. Along with most of the pack, he opted to sit out of Saturday morning’s first session due to track conditions, heading out for the second to work through a few more things. He again shot to the top of the timesheets with a lap of 1:27.468, before later going one better in the final session to clock his new fastest ever lap. Glenn Irwin: “It’s been really good, like Navarra, we’ve continued with a plan. Yesterday we had a really, really strong bike here and conditions were a little better. Today conditions were tougher with the wind but everyone still finds a way to go fast. “We probably persevered with a bike which is suited to the final sector, perhaps Turn One as well. As the day went on I realised we were losing a bit in some places but we stuck with it. “It’s pleasing because I would say that isn’t the bike of choice for here, perhaps maybe yesterday's bike was better, but to top today feeling like that, to do a lot of laps in the 27s with improved pace on old tyres is good. The test has definitely been a success.” John Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “I think it’s been a positive test where we’ve confirmed a number of test items over the two days. We had slightly better conditions yesterday than today but I think we’ve ticked a lot of boxes, gone fairly quick so it’s all positive – roll on Oulton Park. “The plan there is more of the same, just keep trying to understand the new tyre, try and work with it. I think longevity is going to be the key now for Oulton Park, we’ll do a couple of race runs, see how the tyre lasts and then get ready for Round One.” The team will now prepare for the final test at Oulton Park next Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24 which will be the last chance to get everything ready ahead of the first round of the 2025 season at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
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