FEATURE - Remy Gardner interview
Words and Photos: Yamaha Racing
Now in his second year of World Superbike (WorldSBK) racing after a season in MotoGP and several years in the grand prix paddock before that, Australia’s Remy Gardner is one of the few riders on this year’s WorldSBK grid with recent MotoGP experience. As such, he’s better placed than many to explain how the two differ and what’s required in these elite forms of international road racing.
In terms of stats, lap times and numbers, the differences between MotoGP and WorldSBK aren’t huge. An example of this can be taken from the Catalunya circuit, where both categories have already raced this year – WorldSBK in March and MotoGP in May. In MotoGP qualifying, held under near identical air and track temperatures to Superpole in WorldSBK, the gap between pole for MotoGP and WorldSBK was just 1.2 seconds. The speed difference down the main straight was roughly 30km/h.
However, while a production-based WorldSBK bike can get close to a prototype Grand Prix machine over a single lap, managing a Superbike over the full race distance is a completely different experience to a MotoGP bike, as Remy explains.
“The main difference in the actual characteristics of the bikes is the power and the brakes.
"MotoGP bikes have a good chunk more power - we’re talking maybe 40-50bhp and this is very noticeable. And then in MotoGP, you run carbon brakes, which are very different in both feeling and power to the more traditional brakes we run on the Superbike.
"But, if I'm being completely honest, the biggest difference to get your head around as a rider is probably the tyres.
“It’s a completely different philosophy. The Pirelli [used in WorldSBK] is a tyre which has really good grip in the beginning, but deteriorates very quickly, so you basically have to nurse it to the end, which is an art in itself. In MotoGP, honestly, you could be pretty much flat out for most of a race and still be pretty strong at the end. There is obviously some level of tyre management in MotoGP, especially at certain circuits, but it’s nothing like it is in World Superbike and that means you have to attack a race in a completely different way.
“Over one lap, the difference between a MotoGP bike and a Superbike isn’t huge, but over race distance it’s massive. It’s a completely different style of riding, and if I’m being honest, it’s taken me some time to get my head around that.”
Different Riding = Different Racing
For Gardner, whose international career prior to 2023 was spent on prototype machinery, making the switch to the production-derived Yamaha YZF-R1 took some getting used to. That was reflected in his debut WorldSBK year, where the results didn’t really start to come until the tail end of the season.
Narrowly missing a podium in the final race of 2023, this year has shown how the Aussie’s adaptation has progressed. Fighting at the front of the field and leading races on occasion culminated in his first WorldSBK podium at the Assen round in April.
Just as he’s got his head around riding in WorldSBK, Remy’s getting his head around what’s required to race in the category, too.
“I think the rider can ‘ride’ the bike a little bit more in WorldSBK,” Remy explains. “In MotoGP, it’s very much you ride ‘X’ bike, and this is the way you have to ride it, whereas [in WorldSBK] there is a little of that, but it’s not quite the same.”
“I’d say MotoGP is more of a technical way of racing compared to Superbike, which is perhaps more racing in the traditional sense. It’s a bit more 'elbows out' [in WorldSBK], which is both good and bad, but personally, I enjoy it!”
A Tale of Two Championships
Gardner’s transition from MotoGP to WorldSBK hasn’t been straightforward. As already mentioned, most of his rookie season with the GYTR GRT Yamaha team was spent trying to understand the bike and different style of racing required.
“Coming from a different championship, there was a lot for me to get my head around last year. It almost felt like I was starting from scratch, learning everything again as most of what I knew from racing GP bikes didn’t apply here. That meant if we had a bit of a problem, it took a bit longer to work through with the boys in the garage because, to me, it was all new.
“But about halfway through last year, we managed to take a big step and from there on, we’ve just gradually got better and better as I’ve started to get a bit more understanding of what is needed here - how I can get the most out of the Yamaha, the Pirelli tyres, the electronics – everything!
“It feels like we’re just starting to come good, and the [Assen] podium shows that, but of course, you always want more!”
A Return to MotoGP
Since conducting this interview, Gardner has made a return to MotoGP in a one-off ride for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP at the German round. With Alex Rins injured, Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow would normally get the call up as replacement, but he was also recovering from injury. As Gardner is the Yamaha rider with the most recent GP experience, it made sense for him to get the ride ahead of the likes of Andrea Locatelli, Jonathan Rea and Dominique Aegerter from the WorldSBK paddock.
Gardner’s sole year in MotoGP was spent on KTM’s RC16, so getting up to speed on the YZR-M1 during the race weekend would be a baptism of fire, but also an opportunity too good to pass up.
"I'm really excited about this challenge,” Remy said ahead of the race weekend. “I just want to say 'thank you so much' to Yamaha for trusting me to ride.”
In chilly and windy conditions for the opening day, Gardner logged as many laps as possible in the morning Free Practice session, ensuring the team had a good bank of data. In the afternoon's timed Practice session, Gardner logged the 20th fastest time; six places behind Yamaha team mate, Fabio Quartararo, but ahead of the experienced Stefan Bradl and Joan Mir.
Free Practice 2 saw Gardner lose some of those gains, compounded by a crash, ultimately finishing 22nd and last on the timesheets.
“I struggled a little bit in FP2 adapting to the Michelins and the bike. [But] I think the gap is not too bad for having spent just two hours on the bike.”
In the Sprint race, Gardner started well, but spent most of the 15 laps behind the Hondas of Bradl and Takaaki Nakagami. Improving in the closing stages, he passed Pedro Acosta (KTM RC16) and Mir (Honda RC213V) to finish 20th, while Quartaro finished 13th.
“I was missing some explosivity on the first five laps to make those good lap times. After that I was managing it,” Remy explained. “For sure, I learned a lot in that Sprint race.”
Those learnings saw a set-up change made to Gardner’s YZR-M1 for Sunday’s feature race, which seemed to pay off early when he made gains before settling into a duel with Bradl and Johann Zarco. In what was very much a learning weekend, Gardner finished the 30-lap feature race in 19th place.
"The pace until lap 10 was really good,” Remy said. “I was fighting with Zarco and Bradl, trying to hunt down Mir, and I was in front of Bradl for 8-9 laps, which was good.
“I didn't know how to manage the drop of the rear tyre over the last ten laps, but that's all down to experience. Still, pace was much better. Hopefully I gave some good feedback and a different point of view, and Yamaha can take some positives from that."
Massimo Meregalli, Team Director at Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, confirmed that Gardner had indeed provided them with valuable feedback and data that will be put to good use, adding that the Aussie handled the weekend well and was great to work with.
