Honda Racing’s Glenn Irwin has struggled during the opening Bennetts British Superbike rounds, contending with an energy-sapping illness but intends to get his title challenge back on track at Brands Hatch this weekend.

Irwin led the point chase for the majority of the 2020 season, but so far this year it just hasn’t gone his way and he arrives at round three with a best result of sixth place and holding 12th position in the overall standings.

“There are a lot of positives; the whole Knockhill weekend in general was tough physically but the last race from a bike and confidence point of view was good,” said Irwin.

“It is a case of we have tried a lot of different things this year so far without really realising how much we have tried! We have changed some things electronically as we need to go forwards not sidewards, but I feel maybe we went a little bit amiss, but in race three at Knockhill it was much more like last year and things felt normal. I think we need to be consistent together, as when the bike is consistent, I can also be consistent.

Arriving at Brands Hatch, Glenn Irwin is hopeful that he can fire himself back into the forefront of contention, at a circuit that proved to be the toughest for them last season.

“Overall I am not too disappointed as there have been glimpses of what it can do and Knockhill race three was a good example of that. I went through and picked someone like Christian as he was having a strong race and I took out our four worst sectors in sector one and the same in sector two and three.

“Over a 24-lap race I looked through our 20 best in each sector and I lost seventh tenths to Iddon in the first one over 20 laps, but I gained four tenths in the second one and lost two seconds at the Hairpin! It shows how we are looking at it and analysing it; we are not a million miles away and the bike is good, I just have to get to the bottom of what’s going on with me as it is frustrating.

My feeling is we go to Brands Hatch now with where we left Knockhill in terms of the package and discovering something new with the chassis which seems to help us use the SCX tyre, so we go there and roll with that. We will work on our weaknesses from last year and maintain our strengths.

“I definitely do think that I can start my bid for more from here, of course you have to be in the Showdown before you think of anything else. The beauty of the Showdown is that I am only 18 points behind [eighth place]. Last year it was good having no Showdown in the position we were in but this year it’s great having it!

“Of course we can start to build a tally of points and we go onto Thruxton where Andrew [Irwin] won on the old Fireblade, and wherever the old bike was good, the new one seems to be better.

“Then it’s not long until Cadwell Park for our home round and all of the tracks we showed strongly at last year like Donington Park, so of course I would love to be better off right now, but I am not pressing the panic button! I have seen enough glimmers to show our positives and in my eyes one of the best teams in the paddock, if not the best, with a great motorbike and I am only going to get stronger.”

TV times and race schedule are here, Cap’n