“Crying as soon as I crossed the line”: Glenn Irwin completes emotional comeback at Knockhill BSB
A year after his last, a teary Glenn Irwin made a podium return in the opening round of the third BSB round at Knockhill.
Glenn Irwin made an emotionally charged return to the top three after a DNF for Bradley Ray ahead elevated the Carrickfergus rider to his first BSB rostrum finish in a year.
The Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions rider had a huge crash at Snetteron last season, which was round three in 2025, making a comeback to the podium in the third round of 2026 - this time held at Knockhill.
The Ducati rider was in reflective mood in the post race interviews with British Superbikes, reflecting on his injury comeback, which began last season, with the opening race at Knockhill marking his podium return a year later:
“Last year was a tough moment. Definitely the toughest injury that I’ve ever had. I’ve had, I would say, more multiple injury crashes involving may vertebras and I’ve broke my neck. I’ve done all my T-spine. Done my pubic bone, my hip socket, my left shoulder, my left elbow, my left hand.
I’ve done so much and this one was brutal - and we came back early. Massive credit to Dave Williams , Paul Curran and Sylvia and I have thanked Alan Gardner in every interview as well - because he was instrumental in me coming on board at that moment.
And also to my previous team because, without them, I wouldn’t have achieved any of the success that I’ve had and that makes people want you, I guess."
Going back into detail on the day one action at Knockhill, Irwin was happy with his progress from eighth on the grid, to battling with Ryan Vickers for what was then fourth, becoming a podium finish as Ray broke down in the closing laps, and had high praise for his fellow rostrum finishers, explaining:
“We had to come from eighth in the race and you fight with good riders and to share the comeback podium with these two, you know, I’ve shared the podium with Kyle many times and he’s riding in a level where I believe you could bring anyone on the world right now - and by that I probably mean the top MotoGP guys and give them the same bike as him and tell them to win in this championship. It’s not easy.
Scott’s a top World Superbike rider and Kyle is of that level and I have fought competitively in the past - and you know, I’ve never shared a podium with Scott. ‘19 was a tough year for me when he came back and last year was a tough moment for me when he came back -and to ride and to see somebody of his calibre on track and to share a podium with him - is something that makes me proud.
And also, like these two, it just gives me more motivation. I want to fight with them. You know, we can all have a beer after, but I want to fight.”
The number two rider went on to dedicate his third place to his team, highlighting the changes they have made and how all on his side of the garage have worked together to implement them:
“I want to get stuck in. I want more. And, yeah, this one is for the entire team - particularly all the technical staff, Ryan and Chris found something that I’m doing wrong and I said ‘man, I can’t change, I’ve been doing that for eight years! Like ‘ you’re going to have to do something to help me’.
Something that I do different on the bike that we could see different with Kyle and they changed something to help me. And I changed something else . And I knew from lap one - ‘cause you know if you’re going forward, I was like, okay, this is good.”
Irwin was also happy for his race winning team-mate Ryde, adding:
“Awesome to be back and well done to the guys. Great pace they were setting and yeah we need to catch this guy - he’s my team-mate and I like to see him do well, but not that well!”
On being asked to explain how emotional he felt after the race, Irwin went on to explain that the rush of emotions hit him hard and fast, crying in his radio and tv interviews - and in his helmet over the line:
“We’ve all probably struggled. You bury yourself in a hole - and I’m not going to say like, the mental health card or anything like that, but you know, when you’re in this sport and you’re in this type of profession, you want it so much, and that’s why you can do it, because you want it so much. And when it’s not there - you’re just not getting that thing that you need - and to get it was like - I was crying as soon as I crossed the line.”
