‘It’s a red rocket!’
Bridewell and Irwin heap praise on their new PBM Ducati V4 R
Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin were left with big smiles on their faces after getting their hands on the new 2023 PBM Ducati V4 R at Navarra.
Both were making their official debuts with the eighttime BSB champions following their respective moves from Oxford Products Ducati and Honda Racing UK, and both finished inside the top five.
“I’m being able to ride with plenty of ease, Bridewell told MCN. “I don’t feel like I’m having to stress, or that I’m having to override or manhandle the bike to make the lap-time. I’m just riding well within myself to just try and understand the bike.
“I didn’t want to set the bike up for here, I wanted to work on the weaknesses and positives and understand them. Leaving here it was key for me to know that over the bumps the bike does this, at high-speed the bike is like this, under heavy breaking it’s like that… that’s what we came here for. It’s nice to be smiling again.”
Meanwhile, Irwin was also quickly up to speed and was getting more and more comfortable having switched from the Fireblade. He’s already acknowledged there’s a ‘unique style’ required to race the V4 R and is adapting in order to give himself the best possible chance of winning races.
“I’m having fun and that’s the main thing,” Irwin said. “You can jump on something and know straight away either that you’re in trouble, or that you have something you can work with moving forward.
“For sure, this bike is good and has potential. It’s going to take plenty of work to lift the trophy at the end because the Yamaha has been very strong recently and will remain strong, but I think we have something.
“It’s coming for sure. I’m already able to do some things that I feel aren’t just important for my style, but for how the bike wants to be ridden.”
The powerful new engine has both men excited, with Bridewell and Irwin both animated when discussing its pure outright speed.
“It’s fast! Compared to previous years, f*** me it’s fast, Bridewell claimed. “I told the team, after all winter off, you go out and 5-6 laps later you come in and go ‘woah this thing’s fast’, because you’ve not been up to that speed for so long. But I did that, then did another 10 laps and still said ‘it feels so fast!’
“Which is good because one of the weaknesses of the Ducati is edge grip, but you must look at the positives, maximise those positives and work on the weaknesses. It’s the red rocket! She’s a red rocket for definite!”
Equally thrilled, Irwin said: “This is the most impressive engine I’ve ever ridden with in my life! It’s just so enjoyable… It’s an absolute missile.”
There may well be another spec V4 R engine on its way for the UK tests too, which may prove to be even stronger for the men in red. Watch this space.
‘It’s just so enjoyable… It’s a missile’