Glenn Irwin missed out on the 2024 British Superbike (BSB) title, but he finished third with Paul Bird Motorsport.
The 2024 season had a slow start for Glenn Irwin as the 2023 British Superbike runner-up did not have an official ride until March.
After finishing second place for Paul Bird Motorsport in 2023, Irwin remained with the team for 2024. The Northern Irishman put his faith in the team after the passing of Paul Bird toward the end of the 2023 season.
"It is just over a year since we lost the 'Boss Man', Paul (Bird)," Irwin said after the final race of the 2024 season. "There was a lot of uncertainty coming into this season. My phone was still ringing in January from other teams holding out because there was so much uncertainty over the future. I always believed Jordan and Frank (Bird), even when budgets weren't secured, they are Paul Bird's children. They live and breathe British Superbikes and bike racing in general. I put my trust and faith in them, and they put their trust and faith in me."
Irwin ended the 2024 season in third place in the British Superbike Championship. The Hager PBM Ducati rider could not match Kyle Ryde and Tommy Bridewell throughout the season. However, Irwin and the PBM Team took a lot of confidence from a learning year for the team.
In the final round of the 2024 season, Irwin had an outside chance of winning the Championship. But Irwin and PBM are known for never giving up even if they are an outsider in the Championship fight.
"This weekend, Friday was incredible, I was faster than anyone and on lap record pace," Irwin said after the final race of the season.
"Then Saturday we had an oil cooler failure and I slapped the ground quite hard. The conditions were against me in the first race and I needed a miracle as it was. I was 15th on the grid but we found resilience and we fought and found belief. I would not say it was there at the start of the race, we did not finish but it is a building block and now I feel like I can ride the bike in every condition."
"I did my bit and watched the guys fight for the British Superbike Championship."
On Sunday Irwin was out of the Championship fight after his crash on Saturday. Despite being out of the Championship fight Irwin was still determined to end his season with a win as he battled with Ryde and Bridewell.
"The last race, how do you describe it," Irwin stated after Race Three at Brands Hatch. "At the start of the race, I could see very clearly what Andrew's (Irwin) gameplan was. He (Andrew Irwin) was a fantastic teammate to Tommy, and that is the beauty of having a teammate. I got to the front of the race and thought 'Do I go on and win this race, is this how this finishes for me?'
"But I started to have some moments. When Kyle went by I got into a scrap with Tommy, I think a little bit of me became a wingman for Kyle. There will always be a bit of a casting eye to last year, but I hold no resentment and I have a lot of respect for Tommy. After the incident at Donington Park and the statements on TV, it will always sit deep in me. I believe things go around in circles, I would never do anything out of the ordinary to anyone, but I enjoyed the fight.
"I did my bit and watched the guys fight for the British Superbike Championship. Hats off to Tommy he set a lap record and got to the front of the race Kyle showed grit and determination like he has shown in the last three of four rounds.
"We will come back stronger next year. We have got to have fewer down days, plenty of good days and a few more days in the middle, less rollercoastering!"
Irwin has not officially announced his plans for the 2025 British Superbike season. However, he will likely remain with the Paul Bird Motorsport squad for a third consecutive season.
