Glenn Irwin and Kyle Ryde Lead Nitrous Ducati Challenge in BSB Title Race

Key facts

• Glenn Irwin, 36, is a three-time BSB runner-up and will ride a Ducati for Nitrous Competitions Racing in 2026.
• Kyle Ryde is the reigning BSB champion, having won the last two titles with Yamaha.
• The BSB season starts at Oulton Park from 2-4 May 2026.
• Ryde set the fastest time in his first Ducati test at Oulton Park on 21-22 April.
• Irwin has 11 wins in the Superbike class at the North West 200.
• Andrew Irwin, Glenn's younger brother, will ride a Ducati for his own team after three years with the factory Honda team.
• A third consecutive title for Ryde would make him the first rider since Niall Mackenzie in 1998 to win three back-to-back BSB titles.

New Ducati Era Begins at Oulton Park

The 2026 British Superbike Championship season roars into life at Oulton Park this weekend, 2-4 May, with a reshuffled grid and a new factory alliance. Nitrous Competitions Racing, which switched to Ducati machinery for the full season after a mid-2025 rescue, fields two title contenders: three-time runner-up Glenn Irwin and reigning champion Kyle Ryde. Irwin, who endured an injury-hit 2025 campaign, says he “enjoys and thrives” in the intense BSB environment as he targets his first championship. “We have the package, the tools and I think the best engineers in the paddock,” he told BBC Sport NI. “The guys have worked flat out around the clock so a huge thanks to them for their effort.” Ryde, meanwhile, enters the weekend as one of the favourites after setting the fastest time in his first test aboard the Ducati at Oulton Park on 21-22 April. Yet the 28-year-old admits he is “still learning” the bike, having spent the previous four seasons with Yamaha, where he scored 22 wins and 57 podiums without a single DNF.

Ryde’s Title Defence and the Three-Peat Quest

Ryde’s move to Ducati carries inherent risk, but his early form suggests a seamless transition. “After the test that we did last week, there were good signs and now going into round one we’re hoping for the same sort of weather that we had at the test,” Ryde told BritishSuperbike.com. “The bike has been working really well and we’ve not made too many changes yet because we were learning the bike and we were already quite fast.” A successful defence would make Ryde the first rider since Niall Mackenzie in 1998 to win three consecutive BSB titles. Mackenzie’s run began in 1996, the first year of the championship in its current format, which BSB celebrates with its 30th anniversary this season. “Credit to all the team for getting everything ready for round one; it’s not going to be easy but we’ll give it our best shot and hopefully we can have a good weekend as we try and go for the three-peat,” Ryde added.

Irwin’s Shoulder Niggle and Pre-Season Progress

Despite an ongoing “niggle” in his shoulder, the 36-year-old a “good pre-season” as the team adapted to the new Ducati machinery. His 2025 season was marred by injury, but he arrives at Oulton Park with renewed optimism. “We have the package, the tools and I think the best engineers in the paddock,” he said. Irwin will head straight back to his native Northern Ireland after the Oulton Park opener to race at the North West 200, an international road race he took a year off from in 2025. He holds a record 11 wins in the Superbike class at the event. “They are two very different things. BSB is a very intense environment, which is one I thoroughly enjoy and thrive on,” Irwin said. “The North West feels like a holiday for me, as I've always said. I go there for a bit of rest and relaxation, win a few races all being well and come back to Donington recharged.”

Brotherly Competition: Andrew Irwin Joins Ducati Ranks

Glenn Irwin is not the only Northern Irish rider on the grid. His younger brother, Andrew, will ride a Ducati for his own team after three years with the factory Honda squad. “People don't realise the amount of work that has gone in to making this happen,” said Andrew, a four-time BSB race winner, speaking at the pre-season test at Oulton Park. The Irwin brothers add a familial subplot to a season already rich with narrative. Andrew’s switch to an independent Ducati team underscores the growing appeal of the Italian manufacturer in the BSB paddock, particularly after Nitrous Competitions Racing’s full-season commitment.

Nitrous Racing’s Revival and Team Dynamics

Nitrous Competitions Racing’s transition to Ducati marks the first full season under Nitrous Competition ownership, after the company stepped in as a sponsor midway through 2025 to rescue the team from collapse. The squad’s engineers have worked “flat out around the clock,” to prepare the new machinery. Ryde’s partnership with Irwin creates an intriguing dynamic: a reigning champion on a new bike alongside a perennial runner-up seeking his first title. Both riders have praised the team’s effort, with Ryde noting, “There’s a lot of things to try with the bike still, but we have a great starting point.” The opening round will reveal whether the Ducati switch can deliver immediate results or if the learning curve will prove steep.

Outlook: A Season of High Stakes and Historic Possibilities

As the lights go out at Oulton Park, the BSB grid begins a season that could reshape the championship’s history. For Ryde, a third title would etch his name alongside Niall Mackenzie in the record books. For Irwin, the elusive first championship is within reach after three runner-up finishes. And for Nitrous Competitions Racing, the Ducati gamble represents both a risk and an opportunity. The season’s 30th anniversary celebrations add a layer of significance, reminding fans of the championship’s evolution since 1996. With two Northern Irish riders leading the charge and a team reborn from near-collapse, the 2026 BSB campaign promises drama from the first corner.

The bottom line

• Glenn Irwin and Kyle Ryde are teammates at Nitrous Competitions Racing, which switched to Ducati for the 2026 season.
• Ryde is aiming for a third consecutive BSB title, a feat not achieved since Niall Mackenzie in 1998.
• Irwin, a three-time runner-up, targets his first title despite a shoulder injury and a 2025 season marred by injury.
• The BSB season opens at Oulton Park from 2-4 May, with Ryde setting the fastest test time on his Ducati.
• Andrew Irwin, Glenn’s brother, rides a Ducati for his own team after leaving the factory Honda squad.
• Nitrous Competitions Racing was rescued from collapse mid-2025 by Nitrous Competition sponsorship.