“I definitely shouldn’t have come back when I did” - Andrew Irwin on injury hit 2024 BSB season

BSB 2024 has been a season affected by injury for Andrew Irwin, although not necessarily those obtained this year.

The Honda Racing UK rider was forced to sit out the Cadwell Park BSB earlier this year when he crashed during practice, but it’s the broken humerus he suffered in 2023 that Irwin says has had the biggest effect on his 2024 season.

“I don’t think people realise how big the injury was in 2023 that I had, I definitely shouldn’t have come back when I did,” Irwin told Crash.net on Friday at last weekend’s Donington BSB, where he eventually took three top-six finishes.

“It’s took a little bit more time, I’ve had to adapt a little bit, but honestly now I feel like my arm is as strong as it’s ever been — when I go training, I’m stronger than I’ve ever been.

“So, it’s getting to that level, now I think I’m about that level. [But] everyone keeps progressing, I have to keep growing, and I’ll do that over the winter.”

What were those adaptations Irwin had to make?

“It’s just learning,” he said. “Maybe I brake a slightly different way than what I used to, and [...] it’s adapting to that.

“Maybe more so at the start of the year, when I was still getting stronger, was when I needed to adapt, but now I know I’m at 100 per cent, my arm is completely fixed now.

“It’s adapting to that slight change in riding style.”

Irwin’s recovery from injury and the adaptation he’s had to make during that recovery have contributed to a season that has seen the #18 strong at times, but struggling at others.

“After 2023, I probably thought it was going to be a lot easier coming back from injury,” he said.

“The first two rounds were extremely difficult in Navarra and Oulton.

“In Navarra, we showed lots of speed in the test, and then something kind of went a little bit wrong. To be honest, I think it was more me than anything.

“Then, we started to turn it around at the third round [at Donington], and honestly it was going really good, everything was going in the right direction.

“Cadwell was looking really strong to be honest, I had lots of speed there. Unfortunately, I had like a freak accident, let’s say, and I had to miss that weekend. Then I missed the test at Oulton."

Overall, Irwin said, while 2024 has been a season of showing promise, it’s not been the one he anticipated.

“Has it been the season that I hoped for? Probably not,” he said. “But, I think that I’ve shown the promise, that I have podium potential.

“I’ve been on the podium a couple of times, and I’ve went in the right direction. So, I can’t really complain too much, but, of course, I want more and I want to end the season strongly this weekend and in Brands.”

Ultimately, in terms of results, the season has fallen below expectations.

“Honestly, at the start of the year I thought I would be top-five in the championship, but obviously that hasn’t materialised,” Irwin said.

“I think the goal for these last six races is to be as close to the top five as possible. I want to be close to the podium, but, first, to be on the podium you’ve got to be in the top five.”