Remy Gardner’s Gritty Return to MotoGP: Outpaces Hondas Despite Injury in German GP Practice

Remy Gardner stated, "I suffered some minor skin abrasions, but I'll be fine," after outperforming two Hondas in his MotoGP comeback, albeit experiencing minor injuries while filling in for Monster Yamaha.

Remy Gardner wrapped up his inaugural day back on a MotoGP motorcycle since 2022 and his very first experience aboard a Yamaha M1, securing the 20th quickest lap during Friday's practice sessions for the German Grand Prix.

This placed him in front of Stefan Bradl and Joan Mir, who were riding Hondas, and just one second behind his team-mate Fabio Quartararo, who was in 14th position.

However, it wasn't a completely smooth day for the Australian rider, who achieved his initial WorldSBK podium finishes with GYTR Yamaha this year, as he was among the ten racers who experienced a fall during the afternoon session.

"Clearly, I faced some challenges during the first Free Practice getting used to the Michelins and the motorcycle," Gardner mentioned. "Prior to the [afternoon] Practice, we made some tweaks by analyzing data and tweaking the electronics, and, in fact, it turned out to be quite alright.

"I believe the difference of +1.783 seconds isn't terrible considering I've only had two hours of riding time. It's not the worst outcome. Potentially, we could have achieved a time of 1'20.9s or similar, had I not fallen towards the end and had I been able to complete the entire lap successfully, which in my opinion, would have been commendable."

In the final lap, as I approached Turn 13 slightly too fast, and due to the draft, my front tire skidded as I started braking earlier than anticipated. It took me by surprise.

Regrettably, my small pinky finger was momentarily trapped beneath the handlebar, resulting in some skin loss, but I'll recover just fine.

"I believe aiming for a finish in the points could be overly ambitious for this weekend. My goal is to engage with the other competitors, enjoy a spirited contest during the race, and ultimately, have a good time, which is what matters most."

Team leader Massimo Meregalli commented, "Remy performed admirably, despite the unfortunate incident towards the end. Stepping in for a MotoGP rider with minimal notice is a challenging task. These opportunities are fraught with high expectations, yet he managed them impressively."

He's a recent addition to our squad and unfamiliar with the M1, yet he's quickly shown promise by clocking impressive lap times from day one, leaving us quite amazed.

"We're relieved that his accident towards the end wasn't more severe, and we're eager to proceed with our collaboration with him tomorrow, aiming to collect as much information as we can."

In the 2022 MotoGP season, Gardner competed under the Tech3 KTM banner, achieving his highest placement of 11th and securing 15th position in the German race.

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