Andrew Irwin makes encouraging start with new Ducati team in first BSB test at Donington Park as Max Cook shines on bimota
Andrew Irwin made an encouraging start with new British Superbike team MET fonaCAB Racing in the first official test of 2026 with the Northern Ireland rider seventh fastest overall.
The two-day test at Donington Park concluded on Saturday, with Irwin’s best lap on the Ducati V4R in 1m 27.656s leaving him 0.472s off pacesetter Max Cook, who made a big impression on the AJN Steelstock bimota.
Carrickfergus man Irwin is running his own team and following his departure from Honda Racing UK last year, the 30-year-old believes the Ducati offers him the best chance of “winning races”.
Irwin began his BSB career riding a Ducati for Paul Bird’s PBM team in 2018 on a Panigale R V-twin.
His team has purchased 2025 Ducati V4Rs from PBM but Irwin hopes to switch to the 2026 model for the opening round of the season at Oulton Park at the beginning of May.
“I always craved that feeling of a Ducati, then [2018] it was a V-twin, whereas now it's a V4, so it's a slightly different bike, but it's still a Ducati,” Irwin said in an interview with BBC Sport NI.
“The DNA of each manufacturer stays quite the same and I've wanted that feeling again. The best way of showing my potential I believe is to ride a Ducati.”
As his new team was launched last week, Irwin said he was feeling “the happiest and most relaxed” he has ever been.
“I have a fantastic package for this year and most importantly a great crew around me; together with our fantastic sponsors, I think we can have a great season,” he said.
“Honestly I am going into this season as the happiest and the most relaxed that I have ever been and I can’t wait to get started, we want to do a great job in our first season.”
Irwin finished eighth in the championship during his first stint with Honda Racing in 2019 and win his maiden race at Thruxton.
He improved to sixth in the Covid-impacted championship in 2020, winning three more races on the Honda.
However, Irwin has been blighted by injury setbacks, including a complex arm injury that hampered him in 2023.
Last year, he sustained an injury at the opening round at Oulton but Irwin served a reminder of his capabilities when he returned, including sealing a trio of podiums at Honda’s home round at Cadwell Park.
Unfortunately, a crash at Donington left him with an elbow injury and the Ulsterman missed the final three rounds of the season.
Older brother Glenn was not on track at Donington as the Nitrous Competitions Racing rider awaits the delivery of his 2026 Ducati V4R.
Team-mate Kyle Ryde participated in the test on a Superstock-spec Ducati and after topping Friday’s times, the reigning champion ended the test in sixth overall on the time sheets.
PBM Ducati’s Scott Redding was also not in action as his team’s 2026 V4R machines were also not ready in time.
Danny Kent was second quickest overall on the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha, 0.285s slower than Cook, with team-mate Rory Skinner in third.
Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) and Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha were fourth and fifth respectively with Ryde sixth.
BSB rookie Eugene McManus was 16th overall on the MasterMac Honda with team-mate and reigning British Supersport champion Rhys Irwin in 20th.
Fellow Donegal man Richard Kerr, riding for new team SM Racing on a Honda, was 22nd.
The second official BSB test will take place at Oulton Park from April 21-22 ahead of round one at the Cheshire circuit, which will be held over the bank holiday weekend from May 2-4.