Randalstown’s Eugene McManus and British Supersport champion Rhys Irwin from Donegal will make the step up to the British Superbike Championship in 2026 after signing with the MasterMac Honda team.

McManus finished sixth in the Supersport class this year and made his debut on the MasterMac Honda Fireblade for Stuart and Steve Hickens’ Hawk Racing outfit at the Sunflower Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt in October, where he claimed a Superbike victory and narrowly missed out on winning the headline Sunflower race after a last-lap battle with Ulster Superbike champion Carl Phillips.

New team-mate Irwin enjoyed a dream year as the 23-year-old won the British Supersport crown on the Gearlink Bike Performance 15 Suzuki, opening the door for a move into the elite BSB class next season.

McManus, whose father Eugene Sr is a former Grand Prix rider, hailed the move as a “great opportunity” with a proven team.

placeholder image — Eugene McManus (back) and Rhys Irwin have signed with the MasterMac Honda team to compete in the 2026 British Superbike Championship. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

“It’s a great opportunity to ride the Superbike for MasterMac Honda and the big thing is that it’s a quality team in the championship, who have shown their level,” said the 26-year-old. “I’m going in with a real good opportunity to learn my craft and my main priority is that I’m quicker at the end of the year than I am at the start of the year.

“They have brought through a lot of top quality riders throughout the years like Kyle Ryde and Brad Ray, and many other riders have rode for them and done well over the years.

“Michael Dunlop rides for them at the road races, so it’s definitely very exciting and I’m excited to start the year and start testing, and get the year going.”

Irwin said progressing to BSB next season was the “next natural step” in his career after clinching the Supersport title this year.

“It’s brilliant and it’s the natural step after this year, winning the British Supersport Championship,” Irwin said.

“Hawk have a rich history and for as long as I can remember they’ve been running at the front of British Superbikes, so to make my step up with a team that’s so experienced and has such a good legacy in the championship, it’s brilliant.

“They have so much experience, so the boys will probably never know how happy they’ve made me by giving me the opportunity, so if I can just do my best to try and repay them, that’s the plan.

“I’ve been well warned to go in with no expectations, so if I can keep my head down, keep learning and do a good job for them, it’s what I want to do.”