After a bruising 2026 season, Glenn Irwin is betting on himself — and on a fresh start with Michael Laverty’s BMW-backed team — to drag him back to the front of the British Superbike Championship in 2027.
Glenn Irwin (Credits: BBC Sport)
The 36-year-old Northern Ireland rider, a two-time BSB runner-up and 12-time North West 200 Superbike race winner, will ride an Alpha Racing-prepared BMW M 1000 RR for the GRYD Racing team, co-owned by Laverty and David Eltherington.
By his own high standards, 2026 was a year to forget. Injuries, crashes, technical issues and a difficult relationship with Ducati’s new Panigale V4R combined to derail his title ambitions. There were flashes of the old speed — a podium at Knockhill and success at the North West 200 — but Irwin ended the campaign 14th in the series standings, left searching for answers.
“It’s Been Hard”
Reflecting on the season on the BBC Bikes podcast, Irwin was honest about the mental toll. “It’s been hard. There were moments when doubts came in, because that’s natural as a sports person, but there were also moments this year when you realise you shouldn’t have those doubts.”
He admits he was worried whether the right opportunity would even materialise for 2027. But the chance to join Laverty’s outfit alongside Englishman Storm Stacey convinced him quickly. “I’m looking forward to taking from him and also passing on to him.”
The North West 200 Factor
The Carrickfergus rider’s decision wasn’t only about BSB. The North West 200 remains hugely important to him, and he wanted a package capable of winning at both the short circuits and road racing. BMW’s proven strength around the NW200 circuit — plus Stacey’s impressive showings there — made the switch a natural fit.
Irwin knows the challenge ahead. This is a rider who lost the 2023 title to then-teammate Tommy Bridewell by half a point — he knows exactly what winning takes, and what it costs. “The whippersnappers are coming up through and you can either step aside and let them take your job or you can fight,” he said. “You look at people like Leon Haslam and Tommy Bridewell. You can continue to get better in this sport. If you want to stay in it, you have to.”
His message for 2027 is simple: “The expectation is there because we know what we can do. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
