Remy Gardner takes first WorldSBK podium
Remy Gardner has achieved his first podium finish in the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship. Round 3, at the Assen TT Circuit, saw the Aussie finish third in Race 2, after fourth place finishes in Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race. This is Gardner’s best result since joining World Superbikes with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team in 2023.
![Remy Gardner takes first WorldSBK podium](https://just-prod-assets.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/WSBK24%20Rd03%20DAY3%20RACE2%20Gardner%20692a39a8.jpg?iVSY3BsCuLJ2Zp8f_xmmHd6T8_OOjM2g)
For Gardner, the 2021 Moto2 World Champion and former MotoGP rider, the shift to production-based bikes was a challenge initially, but he improved at the tail end of last season, posting fourth place finishes in the final two rounds. This season, Gardner’s best result prior to the Dutch round had been sixth in the Superpole Race at Phillip Island.
![Remy Gardner takes first WorldSBK podium](https://just-prod-assets.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/WSBK24%20Rd03%20DAY2%20RACE1%20Gardner%20Redding%20b0e4c5796.jpg?0H3j2u_1tFIvyk.E.nBJISAsHWBsH9Au)
At Assen, wet conditions challenged all riders, but Gardner was on pace from the beginning, with the third-fastest time across the opening day’s practice sessions. In Superpole, Gardner secured sixth on the grid, converting that to a fourth-place finish in Race 1’s mixed wet-dry conditions that caught out several riders in terms of tyre choice.
![Remy Gardner takes first WorldSBK podium](https://just-prod-assets.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/WSBK24%20Rd03%20DAY1%20Gardner%2089e821d.jpg?P1t_b.PNex4Iqaq3iW2c2Nq535oI3yuF)
Sunday morning’s Superpole Race saw Gardner on track to finish third, but a last lap, last corner pass by Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) relegated him to fourth, meaning Gardner would start from this position for Race 2.
While defending champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) led from the start of Race 2, Gardner was in touch and briefly held second place in the opening half dozen laps.
![Remy Gardner takes first WorldSBK podium](https://just-prod-assets.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/03_Assen_WorldSBK_2024_Sunday_Gardner-02056.jpg?z8yflEZJarh6Yhb3ovkvquLwK7XyV.5K)
When rain came, the field compressed, after which Gardner made his move to take the lead on lap 12.
The final laps became a battle between Gardner, Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Ultimately, Razgatlioglu took the win, with Bautista second, but Gardner’s third felt like a victory after more than two years without reaching the podium.
![Remy Gardner takes first WorldSBK podium](https://just-prod-assets.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/03_Assen_WorldSBK_2024_Sunday_Gardner-02729.jpg?Lm6uOM1c79WaKJ0mlasZ60moGE8Si9YB)
“It was about time!” Gardner said afterward. “In Race 2, drops of rain made it scary and everyone closed the gas, but as soon as it started to dry, I felt I had the pace and opened the gap. Finally, we’re back on the podium and I hope it’ll be the first of many. A huge thanks to the team.”
Gardner’s strong finishes at Assen moved him from eleventh to eighth in the championship.