Current Moto2 front runner Gardner – son of 1987 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner – was announced by KTM on Wednesday that he had signed a deal to advance to MotoGP with Tech 3 next year.
Gardner previously raced with Herve Poncharal’s squad in Moto2, but only posted three top 10 results on the Mistral 610 chassis in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
The Australian struggled in his first Moto3 Grand Prix season in 2015 and only scored once on a Mahindra before being forced to return to the CEV Repsol series in the Moto2 class.
Gardner won a race in 2016 and was drafted into Tasca Racing for the remainder of 2016 before moving to Tech 3.
A move to SAG Racing on a Kalex frame in 2019 earned him his first podium, and a year later he won his first Grand Prix in Portugal before moving to the KTM-backed Ajo team.
“It’s mega. Unreal to him. I’m over the moon, ”Miller said of Gardner’s Tech 3 news ahead of the Catalonia GP this weekend.
“He had to do the hard yards, into Moto3 and then back to the Spanish championship in Moto2 and then with Tech 3.” [in the Moto2 World Championship] and then working up to get his chance in MotoGP next year is a huge breakthrough for him, I think.
“I think the biggest thing for him is that he can now focus on completing the Moto2 championship and becoming world champion.
“That would be good for him, but I think it’s fantastic news for Australia to have another man to watch.”
Jack Miller, Ducati Team, Remy Gardner
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Gardner, who last won Moto2 at Mugello, believes his “unconventional” route into MotoGP ultimately made him tougher as a rider.
“I don’t think I’ve had the most conventional route through the GPs,” he said.
“Of course I had many tough years. It was terrible in Moto3, I only scored points once throughout the year.
“Back then in Moto2 I probably didn’t have the same equipment as the other guys and it was tough for me.
“I think in the end these tough years probably made me mentally and physically strong on the bike. I think that adds up in the end.
“When I got the equipment in 2019, to be honest, I wasn’t ready to win races because I was just making mistakes all the time, but it was my first year at the top.
“So it was kind of a new experience for me and in 2020 I was kind of working on myself, working with my team and in the last half of 2020 we did a good job of continuing that into this year.
“It sure wasn’t easy, but I finally made it into the big class.”