Aragon MotoGP: Remy Gardner: World Superbike looks fun, I like a good scrap!
Left ‘heartbrokenꦡ’ by the news that he will not be part of KTM’s 2023 MotoGP li♉ne-up, Gardner faced a return to Moto2 or a switch to World Superbike.
On the eve of this weekend’s Aragon round, the Au🏅stralian - son of 1987 500cc world champion Wayne Gardner - confirmed that he will join WorldSBK by riding for the GRT Yamaha team.
Gardner, 24, will take over from Garrett Ger𒁃loff, who is moving to the Bonovo BMW team.
“I'm looking forward to the new project for next year,” Gardner said. “It's g💫oing to definitely be a big change for me, a lot of things to learnಞ. New tyres and different class, different bikes, but having seen the races the last few months, it does look pretty fun.
“I've done five⭕ years in Moto2. Managed to be champion. For me, there was nothing really left to do there. I kind of wanted a new challenge and just something different to be honest.
“They [WorldSBK bikes] look really fun to ride. There's a lot more passi𒅌ng going on than I think iꦏn MotoGP. So yeah, honestly looks pretty awesome.”
Asked if he is ready to battle given the kind of c꧒ontact seen between title rivals Alvaro Bautista, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea at Magny-Cours last weekend, Gardner added:
“Yeah, definitely. I always like a good scra꧃p! Which is fun. I'm not complain♏ing. I can get my elbows out!”
‘Part of me wants to come back and prove everybody wrong’
Asked whether his goal is now to try and get back into MotoGP as soon as possible or forge 🅠a long-term future in WorldSBK, Gardner replied:
“🥀I don't know if there's going to be an opportunity to come back o🍌bviously. I don't feel like I was kind of ready to go yet, I think I still could have done something quite positive here.
“But I'm not sure, honestly, I couldn't an🌳swer that right now, because maybe I'll like it so much in Superbikes I won’t even want to come back.
“There is a part of me that wants to come back and kind of prove everybody wrong. Especially you🤪-know-who.”
He added: “Like I said, I don't feel like my time was up in MotoGP. But unfortunately, that came to quite an abrupt end. But ask m🎐e next year and I'll probably tell you I'm happy [to stay in WorldSBK]. More than anything I'm excited to start this new project.”
Gardner’s Tech3 KTM-to-WorldSBK move also m🦂irrors the path of Iker Lecuona.
“Iker’s already been on the podium, so he's been having some decent races [e⛦ven though] I hear the Honda’s maybe not as competitive♚ at the moment.
“I think the [Yamaha] package that we'⛦ll have next year is not too bad. Hopefully, we can be up there fighting for podiums, which is ultimately what I want. I don’t want to be last anymore!”
A winner of six Moto2 races and the 2021 world ti𝄹tle, Gardner has a best finish of eleventh during ꦏhis 14 premier-class races to date.
Although just 23rd in the MotoGP⛎ standings, he is one point ahead of team-mate and fellow rookie Raul Fernandez, who is joining RNF Aprilia next year.
Gardner’s 2023 Tech3 replacement is stiꦰll to be confirmed, with Moto2 title contender Augusto Fernandez hotly tipped to ride alongside Pol Espargaro.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi com꧒e and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
