WorldSBK Phillip Island: ‘We have the speed’ - Gardner

Remy Gardner, a Moto2 World Champion of recent vintage, stepped onto another moving motorsport stage at his home circuit of Phillip Island when he debuted in WorldSBK for his GRT Yamaha squad. He had two points scoring races, one wet and one dry, but he took out his teammate Dominique Aegerter in Sunday morning’s sprint.

He has been fast at times so far, as could be expected, but asked if it was a bit up and down once the points started to be gathered, he quickly agreed.

“It was probably not the result we expected in the end, but I think I made a mistake in the Superpole race that cost us that race, and Dominique’s Superpole race as well - I’m sorry for that - and grid position plus a long lap penalty, so not good.

“Not a good day, but I think we need to look at the positives. I think we showed that we do have the speed to be there. I think it was quite positive.”

Gardner bristled but remained calm when asked if he ran in too deep at Turn Four and simply outbraked himself in the Superpole race, when he took out his teammate Aegerter.

“I absolutely did not out-brake myself,” he affirmed. “I was braking really early. Just the group, the guys in front were braking really early and they had been doing it for a few laps, so I thought I’m going to try it here. I didn’t expect Domi to be so fast into the corner. I was half a bike underneath him. I guess he just didn’t see me and hear me, and we collided.”

As a new rider in this championship, Gardner said he confirmed what he thought would be his pace on weekend one. “I think we confirmed, if we didn’t have that mistake in the Superpole race, we’d be fighting for the podium which is maybe better than expected, to be honest. So, I think we have to be happy. We do have the speed.