Honda Racing's Andrew Irwin impresses in free practice at Donington Park as British Superbike Championship commences in anger

Irwin, who is entering his second year with the Louth-based team after an impressive season in 2019, was only 0.195s down on McAMS Yamaha rider Jason O’Halloran, who topped FP1 by a mere 0.019s from Hector Barbera (Rich Energy/OMG BMW).

The 25-year-old won his maiden BSB race last year at Thruxton in his first full season in the championship.

He joined the series in 2018 as a replacement for the injured Shane Byrne in Paul Bird’s Ducati team before making the switch to Honda.

This year, Andrew is joined in the official Honda line-up by older brother and fellow winner Glenn, who was sixth quickest in first practice, half-a-second off the top.

Former World Supersport rider Andrew said he now feels he “belongs” in British Superbikes after showing glimpses of his undoubted talent last year.

“I feel like I belong now. I said that after I won at Thruxton last season but now I honestly believe it,” he said.

“I just can’t afford to make the silly mistakes that I have in the past.

“I learned a lot in the half-season I stood in for Shane Byrne at PBM Ducati in 2018 but in my first full year in 2019 I learned a lot more.”

Honda has introduced a brand-new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP this year and although the bike is still very much in the development stage, Irwin feels the bike is already capable of delivering strong results.

“We had positive tests in Spain before the onset of the coronavirus lockdown and then in the two most recent tests, we eliminated some things that we tried. We’ve gone back to what we knew,” he said.

“With the new bike we are only going to get stronger and stronger; we haven’t got a lot to work with yet but what we do have, I think we can do a good job with.”

A third member of the famous Carrickfergus racing family, former British motocross champion Graeme, is making his BSB debut this year on the Team 64 Motorsport Kawasaki. Graeme was 23rd fastest in FP1 as he continues to find his feet on a Superbike after competing in the National Superstock 1000 class last year.

Ulsterman Keith Farmer, who is riding for the Buildbase Suzuki team, was 19th as he makes his comeback from injury.

Isle of Man TT star Michael Dunlop was in action on the Buildbase Suzuki for Stuart and Steve Hicken’s Hawk Racing outfit. The Ballymoney man was 31st fastest in FP2 in the Superstock 1000 class.

Initially scheduled to commence in April, the start of the British Superbike Championship has been delayed by five months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The season will be condensed into six rounds, with three races at each.

Final practice and qualifying will be held on Saturday, with the first race scheduled for 4.30pm. Sunday’s BSB races are at 1.45pm and 4.30pm. The event will be held without spectators.

Meanwhile, the third round of the World Superbike Championship takes place this weekend at Portimao in Portugal.

In free practice on Friday, champion Jonathan Rea was third fastest overall, 0.4s behind Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu. BMW rider Eugene Laverty was 10th.

Championship leader Scott Redding, a double winner last weekend at Jerez in Spain on the Aruba.it Ducati, was fifth fastest. Redding leads the title race by 24 points from Rea.

Race one will take place on Saturday at 2pm, while the Superpole race and the second full-distance race on Sunday are scheduled for 11am and 2pm respectively.

The third round of the MotoGP World Championship also takes place this weekend at Brno in the Czech Republic. Reigning champion Marc Marquez is ruled out through injury.

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