Glenn Irwins 2026 season starts with a bang!
Written by Kerrie McFadden: Glenn Irwin speaks out about issues with his Ducati after a disastrous opening British Superbikes race at Oulton Park.
Glenn Irwin’s 2026 British Superbike Season opener goes from bad to worse.
After starting from the back of the grid for race one, Irwin crossed the line in 12th, but he was very vocal that the bike is “ Very badly wrong”
Irwin said “ Yesterday we had umpteen problems from two clutches, seals in the engine, and engine gear levers falling off. Petrol tank spraying on me. that’s not even it all, there’s more, there’s a lot more.”
“I just took off from the grid, and the front wheel’s three feet in the air. Clutch is grabbing. Massive vibrations in the rear of the bike and it’s so slow. When have you not seen me passing into the second chicane by making it in the first chicane.”
He went on to say “I cannot tell you gears. I’m in fifth gear on the start straight. I’m still in fifth in turn one. I’m triple hitting the lever to get back two gears. I’m using the wrong gear in the cascades because I know if I go up to fifth, I can’t get back two. We have a massive problem in our bike.”
“This is not a Ducati, I feel like I’m on a 600. We changed three teeth on the rear sprocket, More they wouldn’t even know you changed the gearing. We are Miles away. Miles away.
And I can assure you the real Glenn Irwin is here, and that might sound strong, and I’m not pointing the buck at the team. But this bike is we’ve had some of you get fundamental problems or something. We have t pinpointed it yet but there is something badly wrong.”
When asked by Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne what they can change for tomorrow, Irwin said
“ Paint it a different colour. I don’t know.”
