Glenn Irwin has responded to fans on social media who have criticised him for the way he battled Tommy Bridewell in the final BSB ra🍎ce of the season at Brands Hatch.

Irwin entered the Brands Hatch finale last weekend with an outside shot at the title, but a crash in Saturday’s Race 1 left him 𒁃all but outꦐ of contention.

On Sund﷽ay, both races boiled down to battles for the win between the two main title protagonists: Kyle Ryde and Irwin’s🏅 old rival Tommy Bridewell.

Honda’s Bridewell 🐼won Race 2, while OMG Yamaha’s Ry꧂de took victory in Race 3 to clinch the title.

While Race 2 saw Ryde and Bridewell break away from the pack together with superior pace, in Race 3 a st💮rong battle between Bridewell and Irwin allowed Ryde a one-seco🐬nd advantage that Bridewell broke the lap record to bridge.

After the race, Irwin said that “a little bit of me became a wingman for Kyle [Ryde],” and the PBM Ducati rider has received criticism online for battling Bridewell as har😼d as he did given the context of the championship.

Irwin responded to the criticism, sayingಞ that he has “nothing but respect for Tommy Bridewell” in a social media post.

“Tommy Bridewell fans annoyed that I enjoyed a great battle on track, Tommy Bridewell fans annoyed that I felt I wanted to wingma💃n Kyle (after seeing Honda deploying the tactic of Andrew [Irwin] trying to disrupt Kyle),” Irwin wrote.

“What did the Tommy Bridewell fans say when on live TV he said he would ride 🦄through me and subsequently did do so?

“Take a long hard♊ look in the mirror. I respect Tommy like I respect Kyle🅷. Top top class riders the both of them.

“The saying goes, long runs the fox ꦚa🍒nd yesterday that phrase played into reality.

“Again, I have nothing bu♉t respect for Tommy Bridewell. To all his cluel🅺ess fans thank you for the entertainment on social media.”

Irwin then r🐽eplied 🌺to a fan who claimed: “He wasn’t paid to ride shotgun for a rider in another team. Bitter man.”

Irwin hit back: ෴“I can assure you, I am very not bitter after [🐽Sunday’s] result.”

Another fan online said to Irwi🌠n: “Your tactics in the final race were desperate, it must have hurt  watching your biggest rival ride the Honda like you couldn't.”

Irwin responded: “In 2022 I rode a Honda ♊(older spec) winning 5 races. That’s 2 more than 🌼your hero.

“I think I can ride the Honda, according to friends that currently work at Honda the new bike is much better and its weaknesses have improved. So your comment is inaccurate and🌊 as expected from a keyboard warrior.”