Top eight 'out of reach' for Glenn Irwin until chatter issue resolved

Glenn Irwin has says chatter problems with the Honda Racing Fireblade are preventing him from battling inside the top eight in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
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The Carrickfergus man sealed a best result of sixth in Sunday’s third race, which was held over a reduced distance of only seven laps after Gino Rea’s Buildbase Suzuki suffered an engine blow-up, causing the race to be red-flagged.

Irwin was 11th in Saturday’s opening race at the Brands GP circuit in Kent on the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade and eighth in race two.

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The 31-year-old has moved up a place into 11th overall in the standings after the first three rounds, but Irwin feels his prospects of getting near the rostrum are unrealistic while the chatter issues he is experiencing with the Honda persist.

Honda Racing rider Glenn Irwin had a best result of sixth at round three of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch over the weekend.Honda Racing rider Glenn Irwin had a best result of sixth at round three of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch over the weekend.
Honda Racing rider Glenn Irwin had a best result of sixth at round three of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch over the weekend.

“It was a positive weekend in terms of points, especially today where we narrowed the Showdown gap a bit and moved up a position in the championship,” he said.

“I’m satisfied and today [Sunday] I think we overachieved: right now we don’t have the package underneath us to fight in the top-eight in normal conditions over a race distance.

“The boys deserved the points we got, we are having some problems with chatter and my feeling is if we can get to the bottom of this we’ll be back in the hunt and at the front again,” added Irwin, who struggled physically at the opening two rounds after tests revealed he had contracted Covid-19 in April.

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“But whilst we have it we’re restricted with our progress. I’m feeling so much better physically, which is another positive to take away.”

Irwin will be seeking an improvement this weekend as Thruxton hosts round four of the series following a quick turnaround.

The Northern Ireland man, who finished fourth overall in last year’s condensed championship, is currently 18 points outside the Showdown top-eight places.