Glenn Irwin believes PBM Ducati “weren’t prepared to wait for me” after his surprise exit from the British Superbike Championship team.
The 35-year-old suffered fractures to his hip socket and pelvis as a result of a practice crash at Snetterton in June and had surgery on his sacrum (pelvic region) as part of his treatment.
After initially targeting the round at Cadwell Park at the end of August, Irwin said he was declared fit to race at he next event at Thruxton from 8-10 August.
However, on Thursday, PBM Ducati announced that Irwin had left the team “as a result of a point of conflict” over the immediacy of the Northern Ireland rider’s return.
Irwin questioned the loyalty of his former team, which he felt had not been reciprocated after he held off on contract negotiations with other outfits at the end of 2023 after PBM faced an uncertain future following the death of its owner and founder, Paul Bird, earlier that year.
He said he was a “very loyal person” and was “a bit hurt” by his exit.
“I didn’t sign a contract for 2024 until that March [while waiting for PBM to get up and running under Bird’s daughter, Jordan]. I was committed and trusting,” Irwin told BBC Sport NI.
“PBM did get going and I sat there waiting. I don’t think they were prepared to wait on me this year.”
Irwin added that the last week had been “one of the toughest moments of my career but also in my life.
“The injury was one thing, and having to deal with what comes next but there was also a lot of other things to deal with.
“I got passed orthopedically fit in all the stage one examinations that are required and got second and third opinions as well, but the team, for whatever reason, didn’t value that.”