Glenn Irwin has announced he will return to the North West 200 in May as he reverses his decision to retire from road racing.
Irwin has won 11 races at the international road race, which takes place on the north coast of Northern Ireland.
He announced his decision to retire from road racing in October 2024 and said the interests of his family were the “absolute reason”, and missed the North West 200 last year.
“I had a really difficult season in the British Superbikes, it started so well but we ended up with what looked like a year-ending [hip] injury in June and it changed things for me,” Irwin told Stephen Watson on the Nolan Show.
“Yes, we came back a lot earlier, but I sustained bad fractures to my pelvis and underwent surgery and from the back of that I lost my ride with my previous ride.
“I was approached by Nitrous Competitions Ducati, as they are now, with a proposal to have a bike and package to win the Superbike championship and go back and win the North West 200 again.”
The 35-year-old will return to the road race in May with the Ducati-powered Nitrous Competitions Racing, who he races with in the British Superbike Championship.
Irwin made his debut at the North West 200 in 2015 and became the most successful rider in the Superbike class in the event’s history.
He claimed a hat-trick of victories at the 2024 event as he made it 11 wins in a row in the Superbike class.
“After being in the low of the low where I was last year and moments in hospital when you realise, I went from a great sporting career to unable to do anything in that moment,” he added.
“If I have to go win the NW200 again to give me the best chance to win British Superbikes that is a credit to the event and something I am more than willing to do.
“Laura [Glenn’s fiancee] understands, as we have a dream as a family to win the British Superbikes and my dream has altered slightly to win 14 North Wests.”
With his absence at the event last year, the Superbike races were won by Davey Todd and Michael Dunlop.
Irwin made his sole appearance at the Isle of Man TT in 2022, where he was the fastest newcomer at the event, and he competed at the Ulster Grand Prix at the start of his career.