Glenn Irwin, from Carrick, will switch from PBM Be Wiser Ducati to JG Speedfit Bournemouth Kawasaki for a full-scale attack on the 2019 British Superbike Championship, replacing Leon Haslam who joins Ulsterman Jonathan Rea in the Kawasaki World Superbike team.

Irwin, currently equal third in the chase for the BSB Championship as it moves across the English Channel to Assen this weekend for the penultimate round, said: "I feel as if I have served my apprenticeship in BSB now and moving back to Kawasaki after successful times in Supersport with the Gearlink team is the perfect opportunity for me. I'm over the moon."

Yet to win a BSB race this season, Irwin was thrown in at the deep end when forced into the team leader's role at Be Wiser Ducati when multi-champion Shayne Byrne was injured back in May and despite big shoes to fill he has notched up a string of top six finishes.

Thing's won't get any easier at Kawasaki however, as Haslam is firm favourite to leave the team as British Champion with Irwin again having to continue the high standards of his new team.

"I have felt, after a lot of consideration, that for me to move to the next level it was time for a change," he added.

"We haven't stopped moving forward at Be Wiser Ducati, but maybe I have gone a bit stale and this change could well be the catalyst to keep me moving forward.

"In hearing the enthusiasm from the very top at Kawasaki, that is worth its weight in gold.

"To move to the factory-backed Kawasaki team with their close contact to the World Superbike team will be a major benefit with an improved 2019 ZX-10RR and, who knows, maybe I can follow in Leon's footsteps into World Superbikes in the future.

"I can't wait for my first ride on the Kawasaki, probably in November, and to learn from the team's experience and success over the past three seasons."

This weekend, however, Glenn has his sights set on his first win of the 2018 BSB season, looking to consolidate third position in the British Superbike series, currently tied with Josh Brookes on 530 points, realistically the best he can finish with Haslam and Jake Dixon well clear in first and second.

Roy Harris