Glenn Irwin returns to Brands Hatch this weekend for the intense title decider of the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship with the target to claim a debut title as he a bids to secure an emotional ninth title for the PBM team.
Irwin trails his BeerMonster Ducati teammate Tommy Bridewell by just 7.5 points ahead of this weekend’s three races with 105 points up for the taking to decide the destiny of the 2023 title.
Irwin arrives at the season finale in a positive mood despite a non-points score after a difficult Donington Park and is determined to deliver ahead of the final raceday of 2023 on Sunday.
Irwin said: “Now Donington Park is in the past; I look at it in a really good way, although that will sound weird to some people! In the dry conditions, I felt very, very good and I probably have never been as fluid with the bike, it has never felt so easy, and I don’t use that lightly but it was still easy to control the race and a few tenths of a gap even before the rain came. That was a great feeling and I made some further understanding with the bike, something we talked about with a technique of mine after Brands Hatch in the middle of the year, and I have made another breakthrough.
“How do I be that positive after Donington Park? Well we are going into a round where it is about winning three races. Onwards to Brands Hatch and carrying the positives from Donington Park, we are fast and I done all my work at Donington Park on my own – my qualifying lap and everything and it is important to do that.
“I think we have continued to show that despite what people might see, I guess I am aware that I would be in a position that could easily be billed as a pressurised situation and I really don’t feel like that at all and I can say that with the upmost clarity.
“I feel really calm; trust the team and my own abilities. I don’t have any limiting beliefs so I come into Brands Hatch in a really, really good frame of mind. Obviously, the championship lead is 7.5 points. To be truthfully honest I think if I was 7.5 ahead, like if we hadn’t had the DNF in race three at Donington Park, and we could capitalise on our wet weather form, I still couldn’t arrive at Brands Hatch and take my foot of the gas. This weekend if you finish second in race one, the gap would still be down to 2.5 points.
“I am truly aware of what I have to do, and that hasn’t changed. I have clawed 36.5 points back in two or three rounds when the points’ value was much lower, and I never felt under pressure when that deficit was on. It’s so tight and there are a number of other riders who can still win, but I just picture winning and that is what serves me so I will continue to do that.
“I have seen points much larger than this, like Shakey and Leon and even in MotoGP. I was thinking the other day, I feel like I should feel pressure, but this is an amazing position to be in. This position is what everyone in racing dreams of being in, and that is to go into the final round with not just a mathematical chance, but a chance that is within my hands if I go and win three races. If I do that then I have won it. I am really grateful for this position, it is a position I want to be in for multiple years; I feel great on the bike, I feel happy so why not? Let’s explore the potential of that feeling and how much better we can make it this weekend.
“To win would be everything. I have been in the championship since 2016 and it has been well documented that my direction in life was a bit scatterbrain and I had a turning point where life picked up and now I look at racing with real sincere and deep believe as such. That was something that was very much lost out of my armory during a period of my life from the early 20s to the late 20s. I would feel complete fulfillment and complete to have turned around, what I have turned around. But in all honesty I can hand on heart say, that even before the title is decided I already feel that and that is something that pleases me a lot and gives me great confidence as your gut feeling is everything. It would be a big tick in the box.
“With Paul and the team chasing the ninth title, we are doing the job he would want us to do and that is to be fully focused on the championship. The team have been impeccable all season and it hasn’t been easy for them, especially for Jordan and Frank, we didn’t just lose a boss, we lost a great friend and for me, the person who gave me my chance in racing.
“We paid our respects at Oulton Park in the best possible way with three wins for the team, I think the next thing I can do to say ‘Thanks Boss for everything you have done for me’, would be to raise the British Superbike Championship trophy to the sky and stand on the podium. Those action’s would be very heartfelt.”