Andrew Irwin has fond memories of Thruxton, claiming his first ever race win in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at the Hampshire circuit on the last visit in 2019, and the SYNETIQ BMW rider is determined to haul himself up the standings order this weekend.
Andrew Irwin arrives at the fourth round of the season, 62 points adrift of eighth place in the overall standings and knows that he needs a big points haul over the next races to start closing the deficit to his rivals.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Irwin said: “I feel like there is no point hiding from the fact that we have had three bad rounds; I don’t think I have ever had a weekend as bad as the last three that I have had so far. You can look at Brands Hatch and say we didn’t get many points, or you can look at it and say that we took a big step especially in the last race, when we found something that made me more comfortable with the bike.
"It has just been something I have been searching for that extra bit of comfort, going into Thruxton there is probably not a better time for me to start to feel at one with the SYNETIQ BMW."
Thruxton was a happy hunting ground for Andrew Irwin on the last visit in 2019, securing a stunning victory and a second place in 2019.
“It’s a track that I have been fast in the previous times we have been there and generally I have been able to get the tyre to last in the past,” reflected Andrew Irwin. “In 2019, I won the race and was second in the other one, and it definitely feels like it is starting to come together and maybe just at the right time.
“We are 62 points away from the Showdown now and if I don’t start to turn it around soon, then it will be difficult to make. I feel we are starting to go the right way ahead of the weekend.
“I think Thruxton won’t be down to who is fastest, it is who is the most consistent and fastest over race distance to be in the position to win the race. It is usually a race of two halves – you get people there at the front for the first ten laps, but they might not necessarily be there in the last ten laps.
"You have to use your head and improve throughout free practice to make sure you have the base for race distance. You see people who can do one lap on a Friday and definitely, at Thruxton you have to be consistent.
“Thruxton has previously been a circuit that the BMW riders have been fast at and Michael Laverty won there in the past for our team. It shows that the bike has something in its natural DNA to be strong there and for sure, it has progressed with the M 1000 RR.
“If you look at what Danny has done with his wins, Hicky has been on the podium, and the OMG guys have been there or thereabouts too, so the bike is really competitive. I know where the bike was strong at Thruxton before, so I am looking forward to seeing where the new model can be even stronger.”