Second for Glenn Irwin “felt like a victory” in race one Oulton Park comeback

Glenn Irwin had seen his Bank Holiday race weekend get off to the worst possible job, but pulled off an impressive recovery to finish on the podium at the first BSB race of 2025 at Oulton Park.

The Hagar Ducati rider had started down in 14th and the exhilaration at cutting through the tough pack of BSB riders ahead had left Irwin feeling like a winner.

The Northern Irish rider explained that “It felt like a victory on the in lap, I think I was fist bumping to the crowd and really you only do that when you win and obviously there was only one winner in this race and it was Brad.”

• 2025 British Superbikes: Oulton Park - Race Results (1)
• 2025 British Superbikes: Oulton Park- Qualifying Results

Irwin had a pack of incredibly competent riders ahead including several BSB former champions, but was able to pick them off one by one, such was his determination to reach the front, but Bradley Ray had already vanished:

“Hats off, fantastic job, came in and done the race I expected him to do. Considering the pace he’s able to do, especially over one lap - and it broke the pack quite quick and my starting - wasn’t that good really everything in needed from my grid position didn’t really happen, you know - I think I had to pass, Skinner, Swann both the DAO bikes, Bridewell, Kent, Stacey… Ryde… Haslam - a lot of the guys - good men to pass.

Also where I usually would be confident to let the break off and today I just didn’t feel like that but now we have some good data for tomorrow.”

The PBM rider also seemed sure of where gains could be made to stay in touch from his much improved second on the grid for the sprint race, where he will be able to concentrate on chasing Ray from the off, adding “First chicane we are quite strong but I wasn’t so happy with the first touch of the throttle there  -I think we can improve.”

Irwin expressed that he felt like his experience was a test of sorts - after  a strong test had lead him to hopes of a winning season he had been brought down to earth rapidly on arrival at Oulton - outside the Q2 places until a last minute dash after a red flag in FP2 after bike issues, he then crashed in qualifying to finish that session 15th and last - moving up one place on the grid as his brother also fell in the session, leading to a withdrawal from injury:

“But, honestly testing went so good and you arrive and all I think about is winning this championship, you guys know I’m a huge manifestor, that’s no secret and you arrive yesterday and the bike is completely different - we had kind of like a fundamental problem and you’re on the back foot today and you’re trying to redial in the electronics - for some reason everything changed.

I made a mistake in qualifying and I crashed and I had one chance to improve it and I ran off the track on the grass and then I see my little brother lying in a heap and just abandoned the lap”.

Irwin’s impressive run through to the podium handed the PBM team plenty of data to work with - and an elevated grid position thanks to a personal best lap on the penultimate lap of the race, leaving them hopeful of being able to fight at the front in the two remaining races on Monday:

“Today, you know, we got punished for mistakes but we came out and gave - this second place is purely for the team and the confidence always remains but we are very awoken for tomorrow - we will take the fight to Brad.”