Glenn Irwin eyes fourth season with Honda Racing in 2023 - Why would I look elsewhere?

The Carrickfergus man moved up to second position in the Showdown at Donington Park at the weekend, where Irwin’s results included a brace of thirds on Sunday.

With only one round remaining at Brands Hatch (October 14-16), the Ulster rider is strongly placed for a top-three finish in the championship. He also retains a mathematical chance of winning the title, although Rich Energy OMG Yamaha’s Bradley Ray is within touching distance of the BSB crown after extending his advantage at the top to 66 points at Donington.

Irwin made the switch to the official Honda squad in 2020 and alongside his commitments in the British championship, the 32-year-old raced at the North West 200 in May – winning both Superbike events – and made his long-awaited debut at the Isle of Man TT where he became the fastest newcomer ever with a 129.85mph lap in the Superbike race.

With another season nearing a conclusion, Irwin says he is more than happy to remain on the Fireblade for a fourth year.

“I’m happy where I am and I’ve enjoyed this bike from day one,” he said.

“The very first time I rode it at Andalucia and then in Qatar with the Press as a road bike, we were able to get a great feeling and set some nice lap times.

“2021 I think was quite stale and the progression wasn’t what we wanted together as a team but this year has really made up for that. To be able to take the fight to Yamaha and Ducati at tracks where we weren’t that strong in the past is a huge credit to the entire team.

“I’m the only person whose phone doesn’t really ring come contract time because I think everyone knows how happy I am here,” he added.

“It works for me. We can achieve some good stuff at the North West 200 and hopefully in the future go and have great success at the TT.”

Irwin’s team-mate at the major road races this year was 23-time TT winner John McGuinness and he joked that he will ‘probably hang around’ at Honda for as long as the 50-year-old Morecambe man, who has enjoyed a long and spectacularly successful association with the manufacturer.

Irwin told Eurosport: “My heart is in this championship first and foremost and to see the development that we’ve had lately and knowing that we have ideas to come, why would I look elsewhere?

“I’m happy here, we have all seen in the past when I wasn’t happy it wasn’t fun to go to work. Now I’m enjoying it, we’re fast, the bosses are smiling and it’s nice.

“I’ve felt at home from day one here and I’ll probably hang around like John McGuinness did – he’s still going – that’s the plan.”

McGuinness recorded a milestone 100th start at the TT in June and has said he has no plans to hang up his leathers just yet.

The English ace has another year left on his contract after returning to the Honda in 2022 in a two-year deal.