Penrith's Be Wiser Ducati Racing Team will aim to return to winning ways this weekend at Cadwell Park.

For round eight of the thrilling MCE British Superbike Championship, the biggest crowd of the season is set to descend on the Lincolnshire venue.

Five-times and defending champion Shane “Shakey” Byrne continues to lead the title race following his mid-season run of form which has seen him take five victories aboard the factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R, although he failed to add to that tally at Thruxton last time out.

There, a tyre issue in race two saw the Londoner’s first retirement in over a year which followed a fourth-place finish in the opening race at the fast Hampshire venue, meaning for the first time since round two at Brands Hatch, he failed to score a podium.

For some teams, a fourth-place finish would herald an amazing result but such is the level of success Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team is accustomed to, nothing short of podiums are expected now.

“In some ways, it seems like Thruxton was months ago. I’m that keen to put what can only be described as a massive disappointment as far behind us as possible, but in other ways, it feels like it was yesterday,” Byrne said.

“I’m looking forward to getting to the next race now at Cadwell Park and hoping to resume some sort of normal service, and by that, I mean winning. Thruxton actually taught us as a team a bit of a valuable lesson, one I’m very keen to put to good use this coming weekend.”

Byrne won at Cadwell Park last year to record only his second victory at a track he enjoys, so he’s aiming to increase his winning tally further this year while Be Wiser Ducati team-mate Glenn Irwin continues his recovery from injuries sustained at Knockhill a couple of months ago.

The Ulsterman from Carrickfergus, who occupies 11th place in the table, was told to expect a 12-week absence from action but has continued to defy the odds by racing five weeks after the crash which dislocated his arm and shoulder.

With every passing week, Irwin is getting stronger and has added to his points tally at the last two rounds also, but knows the undulations of Cadwell will be tougher than normal.

He said: “I’m looking forward to Cadwell Park this weekend after what was an extremely tough Thruxton for the whole team. I’m getting better with every day that goes by and I feel much stronger now.”