It’s time to get to know reigning Moto2™ World Champion Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) a little better ahead of the Australian’s maiden premier class voyage in 2022. So, below is a brief look at Gardner’s journey to MotoGP™.
The eldest son of former 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner, Remy Gardner got his first taste of short-circuit track action at the age of 10 after being brought up in motocross and enduro. In 2010, he was invited by Honda Australia to represent them in the NS100F International Trophy and took part in the premier MRRDA Nippers Championship for riders under 13.
The following year he left Australia to settle in Spain, where he competed in the Mediterranean Championship. From 2013 he rode in the FIM CEV Repsol with the Calvo/Laglisse team, finishing with a best of P5 in 2013, before taking his maiden podium in 2014. In 2015 Gardner joined the CIP Team with a Mahindra bike, and moved to Moto2™ in 2016, ending the year with Tasca Racing.
In 2017 the Australian moved to Tech3 Racing in the intermediate class, with whom he remained with for 2018. Gardner's season was heavily hampered after a training accident left him with two broken legs, with a best finish of fifth coming in Valencia. A move to the SAG Team came in 2019, and on board a more competitive Kalex chassis, Gardner earned a first Grand Prix podium at Argentina GP. Four more top sixes followed, but the consistency was lacking to regularly challenge the podium places.
2020 saw Gardner’s fortunes improve though. Three podiums in Styria, France and Valencia preceded a first victory. Gardner ended the campaign with a win in Portimao, setting him up for a stellar season with Red Bull KTM Ajo.
Stellar is a bit of an understatement. In the opening nine races, Gardner finished off the podium just once, winning three. Four more podiums followed in the second half of the season, including wins at Silverstone and Portimao, as Gardner fended off rookie sensation teammate Raul Fernandez to win the Moto2™ title by four points.