Only three World Championship points from six races: MotoGP rookie Remy Gardner talks about the start of the season, expectations and the KTM factory team
Moto2 World Champion Remy Gardner did not have an easy start to his first MotoGP season. In his first six Grands Prix, the Australian only managed to finish in the points twice, collecting a total of three World Championship points in 15th in Qatar and 14th in Portugal. Gardner was not yet able to reach the top 10 on his own. Had the Moto2 champion set his sights on more?
“We couldn’t expect to come here and set the world on fire. The level in MotoGP is really high. There are many world champions here and riders who have been in this class for a long time. You have to have realistic expectations,” Gardner comments.
“For sure it is difficult for us. We won everything and now we are at the bottom of the field,” he compares his situation in MotoGP with that in Moto2 a year ago, when he dominated the middle category together with teammate Raul Fernandez.
Gardner is still a long way from a podium or even wins in MotoGP. “We need to stay positive and work on working our way out of trouble,” explained the KTM rider. “It certainly wasn’t the best start to the season. But it wasn’t a complete disaster either. Texas was a big disappointment. But apart from that, it went okay. “
The start to the 2022 season was not perfect for the KTM factory team either. Brad Binder is currently eighth in the World Championship. Miguel Oliveira won the rain race in Indonesia, but apart from that he struggled and is currently tenth in the WRC.
Gardner looks now and then at the data records of his factory team colleagues. “We have the data from the factory drivers and so we can find out where we are losing time. But the challenge is to do what they do. It’s certainly not easy. But it is positive to have the data of the factory riders,” said the rookie.
What do Binder and Oliveira do differently? According to Gardner, it’s mainly experience that makes the difference. “They rode KTM bikes from Moto3 onwards. They sat on KTM bikes in Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP and understand the characteristics very well. KTM has a certain philosophy. I haven’t ridden a KTM since 2015 or 2014,” said the Tech 3 KTM rider.
