Kent’s Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is looking forward to the first of the showdown rounds this weekend at Donington Park, putting last weekend’s disappointment behind him. 

Despite setting the fastest ever lap at Oulton Park, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne and team-mate Glenn Irwin had a weekend to forget at the Cheshire track which saw Ulsterman Irwin miss out on his slim hopes of making the Showdown and quadruple BSB champion Byrne fail to add to his Podium Points tally going into the first of the Showdown rounds.

Both riders, however, are not dwelling on the latest performance and are determined to right the wrongs aboard the factory-backed Ducati Panigale R for Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team.

If anything, the slip up has made them more focussed going into this weekend with Londoner Byrne looking for his eighth win of the season and Irwin, from Carrickfergus, hoping to challenge for another podium placing.

The pre-season test at Donington Park saw Shakey top one of the sessions to end up second overall and also, on his first ride on the bike in the UK, Irwin was inside the top ten so with the developments to the bike over the summer, both riders will be in confident mood going into the weekend.

Speaking ahead of the weekend, Byrne said: “I really looked forward to the last round at Oulton Park to check our progress since we were there in May, I set the fastest ever two-wheeled lap there last weekend but then had three terrible races.”

“However, it showed the progress we’ve made with the Ducati, and at the pre-season test at Donington Park, I was very fast and if we show the same amount of progression as in recent rounds, then we should be really strong.”

“Now it gets real, it’s the Showdown, I want a fifth title and have to give my all to achieve it starting this weekend.”

Images courtesy of www.psp-images.co.uk