Honda Racing's Andrew Irwin will have to move aside team-mate Xavi Fores if he is to secure a Bennetts British Superbike Showdown spot in 2019.

Fores currently occupies the final top-six spot in the points table and with an in-form Danny Buchan another 18 points further ahead, it looks like a four-way scrap between the Honda men, Christian Iddon and Peter Hickman for the last slot. Seven races are left before the cut it made.

Irwin took a fourth and an eighth at Snetterton at the weekend, taking points out of Fores, and wants to do the same at Thruxton.

"I keep saying I want two-top sixes near enough every round we've been to, it's what I wanted and we're coming away from here with a fifth and fourth, which is a step in the right direction," said Irwin.

"At Knockhill we finished the last race in fifth and we are starting to be where we belong inside the top-six, and hopefully we can continue to close the gap to the Showdown.

"We took six points out of Xavi this weekend, so we go to Thruxton looking to take another set of points out of him to try and close that down. I'm really happy, the team are working so hard and the Fireblade is working well, so I'm pleased with the progress and the fourth place."