'Hurt' Irwin questions Ducati loyalty after exit

Glenn Irwin's exit from PBM Ducati and deal with OMG Racing was announced on Tuesday

Glenn Irwin believes PBM Ducati "weren't prepared to wait for me" after his surprise exit from the British Superbike Championship team.

The 35-year-old suffered fractures to his hip socket and pelvis as a result of a practice crash at Snetterton in June and had surgery on his sacrum (pelvic region) as part of his treatment.

After initially targeting the round at Cadwell Park at the end of August, Irwin said he was declared fit to race at Thruxton from 8-10 August.

However, on Thursday, PBM Ducati announced Irwin had left the team "as a result of a point of conflict" over the Northern Ireland rider's planned return.

Irwin has now questioned their loyalty and felt it had not been reciprocated after he held off on contract negotiations with other outfits at the end of 2023. That came at a time when PBM faced an uncertain future following the death of its owner and founder, Paul Bird, earlier that year.

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

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

"PBM did get going and I sat there waiting. I don't think they were prepared to wait on me this year."

Irwin added the last week had been "one of the toughest moments of my career but also in my life".

"The injury was one thing, and having to deal with what comes next but there was also a lot of other things to deal with," he said.

"I got passed orthopaedically fit in all the stage one examinations that are required and got second and third opinions as well, but the team, for whatever reason, didn't value that."

Irwin made his BSB debut with PBM Ducati in 2016 and was in his second spell with the team after rejoining in 2023.

He wished Scott Redding, the 2019 BSB champion who replaced Irwin while he was injured, all the best for the remainder of the season and said there were people at the team who would be "friends for life".

Irwin will return to the grid at Thruxton after agreeing a deal with OMG Racing, who run reigning riders' champion Kyle Ryde.

The three-time BSB runner-up said he "can't go too much" into the reason for his departure but added: "It's an expensive sport, maybe that has something to do with it, I don't know."

"There's one bike and this sport is expensive. It's a big ask to put two Ducatis out.

"It's been really tough. When you work so hard to come back from injury you want that encouragement when you get positive news.

"When you go to trusted medics, I certainly value what they say. These are the guys you are trusting with your life.

"I know what I've been doing in training and it's been great. I'm fit to ride and hopefully we can show that this weekend."

Irwin 'can't rule out' NW200 return

Irwin's deal with OMG Yamaha is a "short-term deal" for the remainder of the BSB season and he is currently negotiating for a seat for the 2026 season.

He was also spotted having lunch with the North West 200's Mervyn Whyte, and Irwin said he would not rule out a return to the event next year.

Irwin is an 11-time winner in the Superbike class, but announced his retirement from road racing due to the dangers on closed public roads.

"We spoke about lot of things about the North West, including safety improvements," Irwin said on his meeting with Whyte.

"My reason for not racing, there was the danger with having a family, but if these guys can make the event even safer then you never know.

"If they can keep making steps then I couldn't rule it out for next year.

"If we go back it's to do the same job we done before, it's not for anything else."