British Superbikes: The leading Northern Ireland contenders and their likely challengers in 2021
- Published
Glenn Irwin has a best finish of third in the BSB series in 2018
The 2021 British Superbike Championship will finally get under way at Oulton Park on 25-27 June - around a month later than originally planned.
The series, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, will feature 11 race weekends, culminating in a finale at Brands Hatch in mid-October.
Australian Josh Brookes will defend the title he won last year in the feature Superbike class, but will face stiff competition from a quality line-up - including Northern Ireland brothers Glenn and Andrew Irwin.
The support classes are also set to be keenly contested and there will be plenty of NI riders on the grid to carry local hopes in the Superstock 1000, Supersport and Superstock 600 categories.
British Superbikes
Northern Ireland interest in the premier class will centre on the Irwin siblings - Glenn continuing with Honda Racing for a second season and his former team-mate Andrew switching to TAS Racing's Synetiq BMW outfit.
Glenn's consistency helped him finish fourth in the 2020 series, with the aid of a solitary win at Snetterton.
A third place overall finish with the PBM Ducati team in 2018 remains the 31-year-old Carrickfergus native's best performance in the championship to date.
Glenn Irwin says: "Pre-season testing has been good - we have put in a lot of work and at every test we have achieved our goals of making the bike fast and feel good.
"I feel really confident in my riding and when I get the bike to do what I want the lap times keep coming. I'm going into the season in positive mood, hoping to build on last year's performance."
Andrew Irwin won four BSB races in his two seasons with Honda Racing before signing for Synetiq BMW by TAS Racing
Andrew Irwin ended last year's truncated campaign in a career-best sixth position in only his second full season in the series.
The 26-year-old took a win double at the 2020 season opener at the Donington Park National circuit and added a further victory over the Donington Park GP course to increase his tally of individual race wins in the championship to four.
Andrew will hope his move to the German manufacturer on the new BMW M 1000 RR can see him at least equal that achievement this time round.
Andrew Irwin says: "I've lots of motivation to do well this year. I'm with a Northern Ireland team that have a great pedigree and I'm starting my third full season in Superbike so my aim is to be challenging for podiums.
"Testing went ok, not brilliant, so we have to be realistic and just try to keep improving with the new bike, step by step, round by round, becoming more and more competitive all the time.
"The end-of-season Showdown will see eight riders battle it out after nine rounds so that must be a target. The team have put together a good bike and we're not that far away so I maybe need to adapt a little bit more to become faster."
Last year's 1-2-3 - Josh Brookes (Ducati), Jason O'Halloran (Yamaha), Christian Iddon (Ducati).
Other main contenders: The 2021 BSB series again boasts huge strength in depth with all the main manufacturers - Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, BMW, Kawasaki and Yamaha all well represented.
PBM Ducati duo Brookes and Iddon are again expected to challenge for the top honours, with O'Halloran and McAMs Yamaha team-mate Tarran Mackenzie both figuring prominently in official pre-season test sessions.
Experienced campaigners such as Danny Buchan, Peter Hickman and Tommy Bridewell, plus young guns like Kyle Ryde, Danny Kent, Gino Rea and Lee Jackson should all contend strongly.
Regular road racer, Waterford's Brian McCormack, rides in the series for a second successive year, this time aboard an FHO Racing BMW.
British Supersport
Korie McGreevy claimed the British Superstock 600 title in 2019
A high-quality Northern Ireland contingent in the Supersport class includes Lee Johnston, Eunan McGlinchey, Scott Swann and Korie McGreevy. Donegal's Rhy Irwin and former champion Jack Kennedy represent the Republic of Ireland's hopes.
TT winner Johnston continues his recent association with Ashcourt Racing on a Yamaha, with McGreevy similarly mounted for the returning Mar-Train Racing team and McGlinchey linking up with the highly accomplished Gearlink Kawasaki outfit.
Eighteen-year-old Swann rides a Yamaha in the colours of IFS Team Swann Racing.
Lee Johnston says: "We learnt a fair bit from last year so I'm going to try and compete in the entire championship and give it a real go.
"I've been in the top three or four at every test and I have a good bike under me so hopefully I can get my confidence running and be there or thereabouts at the sharp end."
Eunan McGlinchey says: "After a year riding in World 300s I have to alter my style back to riding Supersport 600s again but the team is working well and doing their best to make changes to help me adapt to the bike.
"I'm not much of a man for testing, more for racing, so although we have some things still to learn I am heading to Oulton Park with a comfortable setting and feeling confident. I can't wait to get going."
Korie McGreevy says: "I'm feeling positive. We have kept improving the bike, the team is gelling well together and my aim is to achieve consistent top-five finishes.
"The competition will be tough but I want to be running near the front. Mar-Train Racing have given me a great opportunity and I want to make the most of it."
Last year's 1-2-3 - Rory Skinner (Yamaha), Brad Jones (Yamaha), James Westmoreland (Kawasaki).
Other main contenders: DB Racing Kawasaki piloted Dubliner Kennedy has the pedigree and form to claim a third British Supersport title as he returns to the middleweight division after a year in the blue riband Superbike class. Kennedy was fastest in the final pre-season outing at Donington.
Bradley Perie (Yamaha), Ben Currie (Kawasaki), Brandon Paasch (Triumph) and Harry Truelove (Yamaha) are likely challenges for the Supersport crown.
National Superstock
Keith Farmer is a four-time British champion in three separate classes
Clogher native Keith Farmer will bid for a fifth British crown and a third in the Superstock 1000cc class when he competes for Morello-IMR Kawasaki in 2021. His previous successes were in 2012 and 2018.
Farmer also has Supersport and Superstock 600 title triumphs to his name during a distinguished career on the British short circuits.
Eglinton's David Allingham will be part of the entry on a BMW, along with Donegal duo Richard Kerr (Honda) and Caolan Irwin (BMW).
Keith Farmer says: "I have a brand new 2021 Kawasaki at my disposal and we have made good progress in testing, finishing well up the leaderboard despite having just a short time together with the team.
"A fifth title would be really nice but it's going to be really tough. There are a lot of former champions on the grid and others who have dropped down from the Superbike series.
"That competition helps bring everyone on and pushes them to find that little bit extra."
Last year's 1-2-3 - Chrissy Rouse (BMW), Tom Neave (Honda), Lewis Rollo (Aprilia).
Other main contenders: The Superstock 1000 class looks set to be highly competitive with other Kawasaki runners including defending champion Chrissy Rouse,Luke Mossey and Lewis Rollo, while Taylor Mackenzie, Billy McConnell and Alex Olsen fly the flag for BMW. Ian Hutchinson campaigns a Yamaha, Tom Neave a Honda and Tim Neave a Suzuki.
Superstock 600cc
Simon Reid is hotly tipped to continue his improving trajectory in this class as he sets out to improve on his ninth place in the championship last year on his Yamaha.
Other Northern Ireland challengers are Sam Laffins and Eugene McManus.
Simon Reid says: "Sometimes the mindset in testing can lead you to get caught up with lap times and the competitive nature of things and forget what you are really there for.
"I have concentrated on working on things on my bike and improving and while I haven't showed my full potential yet I feel I am in the ballpark.
"I've really worked hard over the winter and I know that consistency at every race is key. The class is ultra-competitive but I know I'm capable of challenging for wins and being on the podium.
"It's a demanding schedule this year and there are a lot of fast riders but I aim to keep a cool head and try and build momentum."
Last year's 1-2-3 - Ben Luxton (Kawasaki), Rhys Irwin (Yamaha), Zak Corderoy (Kawasaki).
Other main contenders: Among the leading runners are expected to be Joe Talbot and Liam Delves (Kawasakis) and Zak Corderoy and Jack Nixon (Yamahas).