March 6, 2024

Irwin To Front PBM Title Defence In Bennetts BSB

Nine times and defending Bennetts British Superbike champions PBM will return to the grid in 2024 with Glenn Irwin looking to go one better after finishing runner-up for the past two seasons.

The 33-year-old from Carrickfergus finished an agonising half point behind teammate Tommy Bridewell last season and returns with the PBM team which is now fronted by Jordan and Frank Bird as they continue their father Paul’s legacy following his untimely passing last year.
 


 
Jordan and her twin brother have spent the winter finalising plans for the 32-race Bennetts BSB season ahead with Irwin as the sole rider aboard the Ducati V4R, on which he will contest the International North West 200 too.

Last season, the PBM team won 18 races and finished on the podium a further 18 times also, of which Irwin won ten races and podiumed eight times additionally, so the Ulsterman goes in search of his maiden crown which would be an unprecedented tenth title for Britian’s most successful team.
 



Over a 23-year involvement in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, as well as their nine titles with riders including Steve Hislop, Shane Byrne, Scott Redding, Josh Brookes, and Tommy Bridewell, PBM have won 138 races, secured an additional 175 podium finishes and claimed 98 pole positions.
 



PBM has a new title sponsor for the 2024 Bennetts BSB season which will be revealed shortly prior to the opening test weekend at Donington Park on April 6/7. The season gets underway at Navarra in Spain with two races over the weekend of April 20/21.
 



Glenn Irwin: “For the people reading this it must be a relief as I have been inundated with messages from fans asking me about what I am doing this season, which has been really nice, and I am so grateful for their support. It might sound like a cliché, but there was never really anywhere else I wanted to be, despite interest from elsewhere when there was some uncertainty, my heart and attention was always to remain with PBM. To touch on last year, we had an amazing season working together, and after four years apart we came back together, and I think in that time I have grown up and matured. The team went through a lot last year, but it was also an amazing year, and the championship was one of the most exciting in history and I am extremely grateful to have been a part of that. It didn’t work out in my favour as such, but it doesn’t take any of the sweetness away from it because we had great success. I believe and fully expect myself to be fighting for the championship from the off, but we also have to understand some changes and we will have to adapt. It certainly isn’t just a case of roll the dice like last year, we have a lot of work to do, and I think it is important that we are not complacent. We do our work, and then I think we can certainly be in for a lot of race wins and success ahead. I started my Superbike career with PBM and as much as it is a new era with Jordan and Frank as my bosses now, I will never separate the first part of the PBM chapter to this one. I had my first pole position, first podium and first win with the team, but there are a few things I want to achieve. First off, it is to win the British Superbike Championship and secondly to retain it, they are the two things I want to achieve with PBM.”
 



Team Owners Jordan and Frank Bird Junior: “We are delighted to confirm that the PBM team will be back on the grid this season. It has obviously been a real emotional rollercoaster for us, and we are so proud of what the whole team achieved last year, ending the season on a high with a one-two in the standings. The PBM team remain fully committed to the championship and after a lot of uncertainty over the last few months we are delighted that Glenn returns as we begin the next chapter for PBM. He has a long-standing history with the team – from making his Superbike debut, to a first podium and his first race win in the championship. We hope that together we can add a Championship title to that this season! We want to take this opportunity to thank our partners and fans for their continued support and we are now looking forward to the future of PBM and keeping Dad’s memory alive.”

PODIUMS, POINTS AND PRIZES FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI

May 18, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team heads home from Donington Park fired up for the rest of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike season after rider Glenn Irwin clinched a second and a third in today’s two races. Irwin narrowly missed out on what could have been two wins at the iconic Derbyshire track – but he and the team leave feeling excited about the rest of the year after a strong performance. It had been a tougher start to the weekend as the team struggled with a few niggling issues, but after topping Friday’s timesheets, Irwin clocked the third quickest time in Qualifying to line up on the front row for Saturday’s race. Moving into second position at Turn One, he settled into a good rhythm and as he found himself in a three-way battle, took the lead on Lap Eight. However, a few issues struck in closing laps which left him unable to hold off his rivals and he slipped back to fourth. Determined to make amends on Sunday, Irwin once again started from third on the grid. Getting a good start, he was up to second by the end of Lap Two and quickly began reeling in leader Bradley Ray. A move for the front at the Fogarty Esses on the fourth lap didn’t pay off but he wasn’t giving up, quickly closing back in on his rival. On Lap Eight, he tried again to dive down the inside at the same spot but wasn’t able to make it, running down the slip road and slipping back to fourth. He fought hard in the remaining four laps to catch the bike ahead, making the move into the chicane on the final lap to secure third place. It was another front row start for the final race and he held third place into Turn One, settling into position for the opening laps. By Lap Eight he was challenging Rory Skinner for third and as the race reached the halfway point on Lap 10, he made the move into Turn One and moved into second position. More than two seconds adrift of leader Ray, Irwin put his head down and pushed hard, quickly reducing the gap and with three laps to go was just 0.296 behind. Once again, he tried a move at the Fogarty Esses but wasn’t able to make it work and despite pushing on, wasn’t able to pass. He crossed the line just 0.396secs behind his rival and picked up another strong haul of points. He also set a new lap record, with a 1min 28.832s on the penultimate lap. Glenn Irwin: “We’ve had a fourth, a third and a second so we’re going in the right direction. Race one was really, really tough. We had a limiting factor with the bike on Friday and Saturday which wasn’t rectified until Sunday morning, and it was a good chunk better today. “I think the Sprint race was one that we could’ve won but we made a mistake. I think in the last race we played the right game, we were patient and again we could perhaps have won. I made a similar mistake at the same corner and it left us a lot of work to do with two laps to go. “Setting a new lap record on Lap 19 was good and we may have lost a couple of points but at this stage of the year, two points here or there is nothing and I’m quite happy either way. “Hats off to the team because they worked very hard this weekend and they gave me something that was missing and it’s so much better now. We now have a bit of a break, I’ll head to the TT for 10 days and chill out but keep training hard, working harder and trust that the wins will come.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s been a very positive weekend, very consistent, which is obviously a good sign. We got there with the bike setup, I think we’ve found what we were missing at Oulton Park. “It’s still only the second round so everyone is still getting into it, learning the bike, learning the new tyre but thank you to all the boys, they’ve been mega all weekend and have really worked hard. “Glenn rode his heart out in all three races and we are definitely in the mix…now we will just keep going and look forward to the rest of the season.” The championship now takes a break until mid June, when the pack will resume duties at Snetterton.

ROUND TWO BECKONS FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI

May 14, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati squad is heading to Donington Park this weekend as the second round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at the iconic track. The team and rider Glenn Irwin will be looking to build on their success at the opening round, where the Northern Irishman clinched two second place finishes, putting him third in the championship chase but equal on 32 points with his rivals sitting first and second. It’s been a tough fortnight where the racing community has mourned the loss of riders Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson – and the team has been particularly affected by the death of Owen, a close friend of owners Jordan, Frank and other team members. Now, hopes are high that the team and Irwin can deliver a string of podium finishes this weekend, with performances which both boys would be proud of. Glenn Irwin, rider: “Looking ahead to the weekend you almost feel a little bit guilty, because obviously we all want to continue to pay our respects to Owen and Shane’s families, and when we look back at Oulton Park, the whole event is overshadowed by this sadness. “But if I was to look just purely at the riding side of things and the teamwork, I felt we did a good job. We had some difficult moments but we did well to come from 14 th to second in Race One and particularly Race two, after four laps we were 3.3 off and eight laps later to only be 0.1 off the win was very pleasing. “I think as riders, we all know what we achieved in terms of race pace over the two races, we only ever took time out of Bradley (Ray) and Leon (Haslam) and for me that was confidence inspiring. I think we fired our own warning shots without winning races which is important for our own confidence and important to cement ourselves in the thoughts of our rivals as well. “This weekend and the whole championship in general is going to be close. The three of us who were in it at Oulton will be there, I expect Kyle (Ryde) to be there and Danny Kent to also join the party this weekend…it’s going to be a good one.” Jordan Bird, Team Co-owner: “As usual, we are ready for business this weekend - although this one is a little different. We race at Donington Park for Owen and Shane. “Of course, we have a job to do but our thoughts will never be far away from both of them and we continue to send our love and best wishes to their families. “We know it’s going to be a tough weekend in many ways for the team and for the paddock as a whole but we look forward to doing the best job we possibly can in memory of Owen and Shane.”  Round Two of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship gets underway at Donington Park this Friday, May 16 with two free practice sessions ahead of Qualifying and Race One on Saturday, followed by two further races on Sunday, May 18.
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