Destination Donington Park as Honda Racing UK look forward to the penultimate round of the 2022 season
Donington Park GP
Fresh from a second-place podium just days ago at Oulton Park, the Honda Racing UK team with riders Glenn Irwin, Ryo Mizuno, Takumi Takahashi and Tom Neave are back in action this weekend (30 September – 2 October), as the penultimate round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship gets underway at Donington Park.
With just six races remaining of the 2022 season, Glenn is fourth overall in the Showdown, but his hopes of the title are far from over aboard the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. Mathematically still in contention, Glenn has 1062 points and is 51 points behind current leader Bradley Ray heading into the tenth round.
Donington Park’s GP layout is a circuit which in the past has suited Glenn and the Fireblade, and with the title fight far from over, Glenn and the Honda Racing team know a strong weekend is needed to remain in contention for the 2022 title.
Glenn’s teammates will also be looking to start wrapping up the season with some solid results, especially for BSB rookie Tom who was dealt some bad luck at the last round. Showing improvements in the sprint race and again in Sunday’s warm-up, Tom then had two DNFs in both races. However keen to put the ninth round behind him, he too has enjoyed past success on the GP track in his Superstock days.
Ryo and Takumi will also be looking towards the point-scoring places as they continue to develop the CBR1000R-RR Fireblade SP at the British circuits, Takumi is a regular in the points finishing 16-14-16 at the last round, with Ryo placing 18-15-20.
Superbike first practice gets underway at 13.00 on Friday 30 September, with Race 1 on Saturday (1 October). Race 2 and Race 3 will take place on Sunday (2 October). Click here for the full weekend timetable.
I think it would be rude not to touch on Oulton Park as we look to Donington this weekend, as what a weekend it was. A big part of our job is to put the Fireblade up there and that’s why we’re racing, and we have done that in a great way. We’ve been on the podium at two tracks we’re not completely suited to, but we’ve seen Superstock wins and Superbike podiums at Brands Hatch and Oulton. The result from the weekend gave the whole team a huge uplift, we’ve had a great season. I have good confidence going into Donington considering the progress we have made, the Fireblade likes Donington and I believe now we have a better package. I never over promise, but if we’re real we really do have a chance of winning this weekend, and to finish top-three in the championship also, mathematically we could win the title. So now there is some expectation as such, where if we want to achieve we need to start winning and clawing points back from the current leader. If we win this weekend then even better, but the goal is to go into Brands with a chance of winning the championship.
Donington Park is my favourite circuit in the British championship. We had a good feeling from the private tests and it's a good circuit for the Honda Fireblade, so we'll do our best to finish on a good note.
I've already raced at the Donington Park National once this year and I'm starting to get a good start to the weekends on the first day of practice now we're in the second half of the season, so I'm hoping to keep that rhythm going throughout the weekend on the GP track. I realise that there are only two rounds remaining this year, but I'm going to ride as hard as I can until the end to try and finish in as good position as possible.
It’s another fresh start for me this weekend, where I’m putting Oulton Park behind me and focusing on what is ahead. We have six races left of this year and I’m going to give them my all! Donington Park has always been good to me on the Superstock Fireblade, so hopefully we can start to finish the season with a bit of good form. Bad choices in tricky circumstances ruined my Sunday at Oulton, as prior to that we had been making progress. I’ve got to keep all the positives and maintain that mindset that things were moving forward and feeling good. I’m looking to start this weekend where we left off in Sunday’s warm up at Oulton Park!