Glenn Irwin: Ducati “invested heavily”, “ideas Danilo Petrucci has used”

Glenn Irwin insists he can finally win the British Superbike Championship with Ducati’s backing.

Irwin was runner-up in 2022, missed out by half-a-point to rival Tommy Bridewell in 2023, then finished third in the championship won by Kyle Ryde last year.

Irwin has signed a new deal with the Hager PBM Ducati team and retired from road racing to concentrate on BSB.

“I have no doubt I’ll be a Superbike Champion,” he said at the Motorcycle Live show.

“You can’t put a timeline on it. but I have a great feeling it is all part of my story.

“In 2023, I lost by half-a-point. People ask how ‘you get over that?’

“Well, there’s nothing to get over. It was what it was. It wasn’t meant to be.

“With PBM for the next two years, if I was a betting man, I’d put a pound on it. My time will come.

“There’s no reason why not. Continuity with the team, continuity with Ducati. It’s the brand I’ve had the most success with within my career.

“We know how the championship has been over the last couple of years. In 2023, we very much could have won it, it didn’t happen. And that’s fine.

“]2024], we were still very fast on days but not consistent enough, and not enough podiums. I know what I have to work on.

“The team has already invested heavily. It’s hard with the bike when you don’t have a new model. You are looking at ways to develop something you already have in a great window.

“But they have invested heavily lately with some ideas that Danilo Petrucci has used in World Superbikes with great success. It’s nice knowing that you have something coming.

“With the tyre issue, we will have something better next year. Not as good as before, but I don’t need too much, just a little bit.

“But I’ve the right mindset and I can focus solely on BSB now.”