A really positive weekend for Remy Gardner in Assen. After arriving fourth at the finish line in Race 1 and in the Superpole Race, he finished in third place in Race 2. In the sprint he had been overtaken at the last chicane by Alex Lowes, in the last heat he was able to come very close to the Razgatlioglu-couple Bautista. A great performance and first ever podium in World Superbike. A deserved result for him and the GYTR GRT Yamaha team.
Superbike Assen, Gardner celebrates with GRT
The Australian driver has reached an important milestone and this must be a stimulus for the future: “Finally! Last year was complicated and the first races didn’t go as we had planned, even though we showed our speed. Luck wasn’t on my side for a while. Finally everything went well, we had a great weekend. I honestly think we should have gotten at least two podiums, but I can’t complain. We have broken the curse. Two years of drought without podiums have passed, it’s finally over. It was difficult and I’m happy to splash some champagne“.
During Race 2 there was a slightly complicated moment due to the arrival of a light rain which forced all the riders to slow down and be particularly careful: “Everyone turned off the gas – explains Gardner – and I did it too. Some parts of the track were a little scary. I tried not to do anything crazy and some riders took advantage of it, Locatelli and Iannone overtook me. But as soon as it started to dry I started to have a good pace again and finished third“.
Superpole Race and MotoGP
Remy was also asked about the prank at the last chicane of the last lap of the Superpole Race, when Lowes managed to snatch the podium from him, and he confesses that he was angry with himself: “I kicked myself. I left the door open like that. I was an idiot. Alex had a good performance, it was an interesting race. The tire was destroyed. However we started fourth in Race 2 and I took the podium“.
Gardner’s experience in WorldSBK began in 2023, after being dropped by KTM in MotoGP, and it was not easy for him to adapt to the many new features and be competitive with the R1: “It has been difficult – admits the son of art – especially considering how my MotoGP career went. It didn’t go well, I felt dumped as a pilot. It was hard, but I always believed in myself and continued to push and fight. There was a point where I might even have retired and done something else. But I kept pushing, believing in myself and working hard. This third position is like a victory for me. It was frustrating to miss the podium so many times, but in the end good things come to people who have worked hard. I felt strong here, I think this could be a good year“.
Photo: GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK
