Glenn Irwin hospitalised following crash at Donington Park
Northern Irish motorcycle racer Glenn Irwin has been rushed to hospital amid fears of a spinal fracture following a violent crash at Donington Park, reports BritPanorama.
The 36-year-old came off his bike at Starkey’s Bridge, the high-speed left-hander at turn five, during the penultimate lap of the third and final British Superbike race of the weekend. The incident prompted officials to red-flag the race immediately, with the leaders approaching that same section of the circuit.
Irwin was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre for specialist assessment and imaging after initial treatment at the track’s medical centre. Television footage captured the moment he lost the rear of his Ducati, resulting in a dramatic high-side that sent him tumbling across the grass. Despite the severity of the crash, images broadcast on television showed Irwin sitting upright while receiving attention from medics on site.
He remained conscious and in a stable condition throughout the assessment and treatment process. Championship organisers confirmed, “Glenn Irwin crashed at Starkey’s Bridge (turn five) on the penultimate lap of BSB Race Three, necessitating a red flag. He was assessed and treated at the circuit Medical Centre. He remained conscious and stable throughout his assessment.”
The statement continued, “Due to concern regarding a possible spinal fracture, Glenn is being transferred to Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, for further specialist assessment and imaging. We wish Glenn well and will provide further updates when appropriate.” Earlier in the campaign, Irwin suffered pelvic and neck injuries at Snetterton, ruling him out of the remaining races that weekend.
Scott Redding was declared the winner when the red flag brought proceedings to a premature end, marking his third triumph in six races. Championship leader Kyle Ryde had dominated earlier actions at Donington, securing victories in both the first and second races of the weekend. Redding’s success ensures the title fight will go down to the wire, with the BSB season set to conclude at Brands Hatch on the weekend of 17-18 October.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the perils faced by riders in the high-speed world of motorcycle racing, where the fine line between triumph and disaster is often perilously thin.
