British Superbikes: Head-to-head battle for title with Tommy Bridewell is good - Glenn Irwin
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Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell raced in close company throughout the Oulton Park race weekend
British Superbike series leader Glenn Irwin has played down any fallout with title rival Tommy Bridewell after his PBM Ducati team-mate declared "all out war" between the two at Oulton Park.
Irwin took two wins and a second place at the latest round of the championship while Bridewell won race three after crossing the line first in race two but being penalised for unsafe conduct.
"He made it out that he's 'going to war'. It's funny because we get on really well and I would classify Tommy as a friend," Irwin told BBC Sport NI.
Irwin leads the standings by just half a point from the Wiltshire rider going into the final two series of races at Donington Park and Brands Hatch.
The Northern Ireland rider took the chequered flag in Saturday's opening race of the weekend, with Bridewell dropping from second to fourth after making an error on the final lap.
The Wiltshire racer looked on course to make amends by winning Sunday's opener but the deployment of the safety car saw his lead wiped out and he then appeared to brake suddenly on the approach to Lodge corner as he prepared for the restart.
That resulted in a knock-on effect with many of the riders behind him nearly running into the back of each other.
Bridewell was given a long lap penalty but with no time to take it had three seconds added onto his race time instead and although he crossed the line first, the penalty dropped him back to sixth, with Irwin taking the win.
The Englishman made amends by securing victory in race three, making it eight individual race wins apiece for the pair this season.
Bridewell 'succumbed to a bit of pressure'
In a subsequent post-race interview with Eurosport, Bridewell commented: "There is a divide in the team now, there's no hiding that. It's all-out war."
In response, Irwin commented: "Tommy's good at having a bit of craic now and again so if Tommy's at war I'll be at war with him standing beside fighting against the opposite side.
"We are a team, we do get on quite well. There's maybe some pressure at this time of the year, I think a little bit of pressure got to him at the weekend but I'm not going to fall out with him because he succumbed to a bit of pressure, certainly not.
"The needle is good, the trash talk and the soap opera is a bit unnecessary at times, but I've played games like that before so why not, let's have a bit of fun, the spectators are going to love it."
Late team boss Bird 'instilled winning mentality'
The fact that the two PBM Ducati riders are battling it out for the championship honours is particularly poignant given the recent death of team boss Paul Bird at the age of 56.
The Cumbrian-based outfit are the most successful team in the history of BSB, with eight title successes.
"The winning mentality that is in our team, the aura that surrounded him [Paul Bird], it was all about winning," reflected Irwin.
"It's fitting that Tommy and I are pretty much neck and neck fighting for the championship.
"The odds are in favour of one of the PBM team taking the title and I would love to do that for Paul Bird so much. I really hope it happens.
"From day one when I signed this contract I knew we were coming here to win championships and the fact that it is head to head against Tommy is good.
"The fact we have shared data and we are pushing so hard has probably helped us pull away from the chasing pack."
Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell are both contending for their first BSB titles
'Bike exceptional everywhere'
The PBM team had endured two difficult seasons in 2021 and 2022 but eight-times North West 200 Superbike winner Irwin and Bridewell have been to the fore since the start of the 2023 campaign.
"It's been a fantastic season. The bike has worked pretty much exceptional everywhere, starting with a win and a podium at Silverstone in the opening round," explained Irwin.
"That gave me confidence that the package was much improved on recent years and that trend has continued.
"I ended up 36.5 points behind at one point, I'm now half a point ahead with two rounds to go.
"I want to win the BSB title for myself and to become the first person to win it for Northern Ireland. It's about focusing on that end goal.
"I've achieved so much in my career but that would be the last piece in my jigsaw. It would absolutely complete my journey to this stage where I've ticked off everything that I've set out to do in my racing career.
"That said if I achieve this I'll want to hold onto it and I know how hard it's been fighting for the title this year.
"It's been a lot of fun but there have been a lot of sacrifices made at home."
'Very happy to continue with PBM'
The Carrickfergus rider revealed that he had been the subject of a number of contract offers for 2024 but appears set to remain with his current team.
"I'm really happy where I am. Jordan and Frank, Paul's two eldest children, came in, and they are now in interim charge.
"They will take the team on and I thought they did a fantastic job at Oulton Park at what was such an emotional weekend.
"Very happy to continue with PBM. It's not a done deal just yet but we're pretty much 99% there."