The BSB race winner presents an exciting new Ducati project

Andrew Irwin has confirmed his place on the 2026 British Superbike Championship grid after launching his team alongside long-term sponsors MET Healthcare Group and fonaCAB.

The Northern Irishman bought a 2025 Ducati V4 Rs from the Hager PBM Ducati team but hopes to switch to a 2026 bike for the start of the year at Oulton Park.

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The team is named MET fonaCAB Racing, and the bike is sure to stand out on TV thanks to its striking yellow livery, with blue and white livery for MET, as well as black and yellow branding for fonaCAB.

Irwin has hired BSB title-winning club head Dave Harris, while John Erwin has been appointed club principal. Irwin ended up riding a Ducati in his first year in BSB when he joined PBM in the fourth year as a replacement for the injured Shakey Byrne, and recorded the best result of fourth on two occasions.

“I’ve always dreamed of one day running a race team,” Irwin told MCN. “I’m very comfortable with everyone, and that’s something I’m very proud of; being able to build and put this team together in such a short period of time.

“I think I’m successful at this; I’m successful at keeping my head busy. It’s my weakness that if I’m not busy enough, I can rub my head. I’ve hand-picked a team, which I’ve never been able to do, and I’ve put it all together so there’s only one person to blame if I’m not happy to get it off my chest.

“I have full faith in everyone around me; it will be a fun team, but also professional. To do what I do, you have to have a lot of support and that’s why I thank MET and fonaCAB.

“MET is my longest supporter [2013]and not many sponsors stay with someone for that long. William phoneCAB supports a large number of passengers; he just loves racing, loves it and is proud to see his name on a motorcycle.”

Irwin, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season but suffered a campaign-ending injury at Donington Park in September. In the last eight races before the Donington meeting, Irwin collected three poles at Cadwell Park and secured seven top finishes.

Irwin spent five seasons with Honda, split into two different seasons, so he was ready for a new challenge in 2026.

Irwin continued: “I’m starting again, everything is new. “The bike, the helmet, the crew, the team… that’s what I needed. I needed to start over. Obviously I haven’t been on the bike yet, but I believe this is all I need to put myself in a position where I can hopefully fight to win the race and be on the podium again and again.”

By purchasing a vintage V4 R from PBM, Irwin has his hands on a wealth of data from past riders including his brother Glenn Irwin, former teammate Tommy Bridewell, and Scott Redding.

With Glenn, Redding, and reigning champion Kyle Ryde all unable to ride their new Ducati bikes at this weekend’s Donington Park test, it puts Irwin in a promising position heading into the new season.

“If I didn’t have the 2025 stuff it would be a disaster because we wouldn’t have anything! We can ride a road bike, but it’s not a bike.

“Yes, the bikes are different, but you can look and see what Scott, Glenn and Tommy were doing. The data is very important. You continue to learn from that amount of rider data, and it puts you on the front foot.”

Irwin and the team will make their first test at the Donington test this Friday (April 3).