Glenn Irwin is set to miss the 2018 Bennetts British Superbik𝕴e championship season opener after suffering a neck injury duri🔜ng the first free practice session at Donington Park.

The Be Wiser Ducati rider suffered a high-side off at Goddards during👍 the closing minutes of the opening free practice session and was left stricken on the track wh꧑ich triggered a red flag stoppage.

After being attended to by the trackside medical team, Irwin has been transported to Queens Hospital for further assessments after suffering neck🎐 pain.

Irwin is expected to sit out the opening races due to the injury but is already focusing on a quick comeback once a recovery time🗹table can be decided.

“I’m okay, got a broken neck on way to hospi🍬tal to check my neck and back. I’ll be back ASAP,” Irwin tweeted.

In cold and wet conditions, Irwin’s Be Wiser Ducati teammate and defending BSB champion Shane Byrne topped t🌺he ope♋ning session by over a second from Jake Dixon on the RAF Reserves Kawasaki.

Last year, Byrne missed the opening round after suffering concussion during morning warm-up o🍨n race day which left Irwin to battle alone for the PBM-run Ducati squad with the Northern Irish rider securing a podium finish in race two.