Glenn Irwin maintains BSB title lead after fourth victory of season at Donington Park

The Hager PBM Ducati rider – sixth in Saturday’s first race at the Leicestershire circuit – led all the way in the 12-lap Sprint race and held off a late charge by Leon Haslam on the ROKiT BMW to secure the win by three tenths of a second, with Honda Racing’s Tommy Bridewell in third.

Irwin, who was a hat-trick winner at Oulton Park at the second round of the championship before winning all three races for a new Superbike record at the North West 200, had to settle for fourth in the final race of the weekend after an epic finale.

He led on lap 18 of 20 but was shunted back by reigning champion Bridewell and eventual winner Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) at Melbourne hairpin.

On a frenetic final lap, O’Halloran was able to open a slight gap as the battle for second place raged behind him.

After exchanging passes, Bridewell dived under Irwin into the Melbourne hairpin, with Danny Kent on the McAMS Yamaha also going through.

The trio were late on the brakes into the final corner but Bridewell edged ahead while Kent denied Irwin a podium by five hundredths of a second on the line.

Irwin said: “We had a bit of a problem with the bike after the North West 200 which hindered us on Friday and Saturday, and we were nowhere but the team worked beyond midnight on Saturday to give me a bike I could win on.

“The bike felt so good today and the hard work paid dividends in the first race. I was able to go flat-out from the word go with some incredibly fast laps and we were ultimately rewarded with the victory.

“The final race of the weekend was just one of those you’re glad to be involved in. And whilst I would have been happy with any of the top four positions, I feel it should have been a podium,” he added.

“On the plus side, it was my first win on the GP circuit and we’ve extended our lead in the championship so on we go.

“I feel great and I’m enjoying the pressure of being the championship leader.”

Irwin leads Kent in the standings by 13 points after the first three rounds.

Andrew Irwin finished ninth and seventh on Sunday on the Honda Racing UK Fireblade.

Dublin’s Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK) was fifth in the Supersport race, which was won by Tom Booth-Amos from Turkey’s Can Oncu, who won Saturday’s race. Carrick man Alastair Seeley was ninth.

Northern Ireland’s Scott Swann clinched third in the National Superstock 1000 race, which was won by Isle of Man TT contender Davey Todd. David Allingham finished in fifth spot.

In the Principal Insurance Masters Superbike Championship, Derek Sheils and Brian McCormack claimed a victory each on Sunday at the second round of the series at Mondello Park in Co Kildare.