Irwin Questions Former Team's Loyalty After Split

Glenn Irwin believes PBM Ducati "weren't prepared to hold for me" aft his astonishment exit from nan British Superbike Championship team.

The 35-year-old suffered fractures to his hep socket and pelvis arsenic a consequence of a believe clang astatine Snetterton successful June and had room connected his sacrum (pelvic region) arsenic portion of his treatment.

After initially targeting nan information astatine Cadwell Park astatine nan extremity of August, Irwin said he was declared fresh to title astatine he adjacent arena astatine Thruxton from 8-10 August.

However, connected Thursday, PBM Ducati announced that Irwin had near nan squad "as a consequence of a constituent of conflict" complete nan immediacy of nan Northern Ireland rider's return.

Irwin questioned nan loyalty of his erstwhile team, which he felt had not been reciprocated aft he held disconnected connected statement negotiations pinch different outfits astatine nan extremity of 2023 aft PBM faced an uncertain early pursuing nan decease of its proprietor and founder, Paul Bird, earlier that year.

He said he was a "very loyal person" and was "a spot hurt" by his exit.

"I didn't motion a statement for 2024 until that March [while waiting for PBM to get up and moving nether Bird's daughter, Jordan]. I was committed and trusting," Irwin told BBC Sport NI.

"PBM did get going and I sat location waiting. I don't deliberation they were prepared to hold connected maine this year."

Irwin added that nan past week had been "one of nan toughest moments of my profession but besides successful my life.

"The wounded was 1 thing, and having to woody pinch what comes adjacent but location was besides a batch of different things to woody with.

"I sewage passed orthopedically fresh successful each nan shape 1 examinations that are required and sewage 2nd and 3rd opinions arsenic well, but nan team, for immoderate reason, didn't worth that."

Irwin made his BSB debut pinch PBM Ducati successful 2016 and was successful his 2nd spell pinch nan squad aft rejoining successful 2023.

He wished Scott Redding, nan 2019 BSB champion who replaced Irwin while he was injured, each nan champion for nan remainder of nan play and said location were group astatine nan squad who would beryllium "friends for life".

After his exit from PBM, Irwin will return to nan grid astatine Thruxton aft agreeing a woody pinch OMG Racing, who tally reigning riders' champion Kyle Ryde.

The three-time BSB runner-up said he "can't spell excessively much" into nan logic for his departure but said: "It's an costly sport, possibly that has thing to do pinch it, I don't know".

"There's 1 motorcycle and this athletics is expensive. It's a large inquire to put 2 Ducati's out," Irwin added.

"It's been really tough. When you activity truthful difficult to travel backmost from wounded you want that encouragement erstwhile you get affirmative news.

"When you spell to trusted medics, I surely worth what they say. These are nan guys you are trusting pinch your life.

"I cognize what I've been doing successful training and it's been great. I'm fresh to thrust and hopefully we tin show that this weekend."

Irwin's woody pinch OMG Yamaha is simply a "short-term deal" for nan remainder of nan BSB play and said he is presently negotiating for a spot for nan 2026 season.

He was besides spotted having luncheon pinch nan North West 200's Mervyn Whyte, and Irwin said he would not norm retired a return to nan arena successful 2026.

Irwin is an 11-time victor successful nan Superbike people but announced his status from roadworthy racing owed to nan dangers of racing connected closed nationalist roads.

"We said astir batch of things astir nan North West, including information improvements," Irwin said connected his luncheon pinch Whyte.

"My logic for not racing location was nan danger, pinch having a family, but if these guys tin make nan arena moreover safer past you ne'er know.

"If they tin support making steps past I couldn't norm it retired for adjacent year.

"If we spell backmost it's to do nan aforesaid occupation we done before, it's not for thing else."