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After winning the Moto2 World Championship last season, Remy Gardner is preparing to trace the first trajectoriesof the season in the MotoGP during the Sepang tests. The young rider, son of Wayne Gardner (who won the 500 title in 1987), will once again be racing on the Tech3 team’s KTM, along with his teammate, Raul Fernandez, who also just entered the MotoGP.
"Winter went by faster than I thought, especially when I think about the conditions of my wrist fracture,” Remy recalled. “I kept training doing motocross but without pushing too much."
Do you think this wrist problem could affect the upcoming tests?
"It won't be easy, that’s for sure. After all, it's only been two weeks since the operation. I'm trying to do what I can with physiotherapy to get ready for testing. It’ll take several days. I'll try not to overdo it to avoid worsening the situation, but I'm optimistic."
You and Raul with your KTM Tech3s will double the presence of the KTM in the MotoGP. What do you think about that ?
"I know we’ll have KTM's full support throughout the season. This is a great result both for the team and as a demonstration of KTM's efforts and growth in the sport. I don't think there’s a need to distinguish between official teams and satellite teams. We’ll share the same knowledge and the same parts. The goal is the growth of the entire brand. I’m proud of the work that has been done so far, and I’m honored by the trust they’ve placed in me."
In the last tests in Jerez, you also suffered another injury, your ribs. Can you tell us about it?
"Yes, on Friday in Portugal, I fell and, initially, I didn't get a scan. I didn't want to know until the end of the tests. I immediately realized that something was wrong because the fall literally took my breath away, but only on Monday did I decide to get a scan, and I discovered that I fractured my tenth and eleventh rib, but they’re fortunately not broken. So, basically, I continued with the tests in Valencia with two fractured ribs."
MotoGP bikes are very physically demanding. In terms of longevity on the bike, where are you?
"That’s true. The speed is great, and we still need to work a lot on the sensation. It’ll be a process that will still take some time, lap after lap, session after session. For now, I’ve done nineteen laps, not twenty-five, but we’re close. However, this won’t be the main objective in the Sepang tests. We also have other things to test."
Pedrosa will also be in the tests. Have you already had the opportunity to confront him? How important will his contribution be?
"Dani was in Jerez and gave me several tips. The presence of a champion of his caliber gives me and the team a lot of confidence, and it’ll be interesting to try to keep up with him also in the upcoming tests and learn as much as possible about this bike."
So what will the goals be in the upcoming tests?
"The bike is the same one we used in Jerez. There are several things to test and some new parts, but the feeling is already good. If I had to indicate a key point, I think it would be the electronics, and of course to still improve the general feeling."
Instead, what will your goals for the 2022 season be? What will your approach be?
"I think there’s still a lot to learn about this bike. I’ll try to take one step after another, trying to learn from the most experienced and fastest riders. I'd like to be able to finish the season as rookie of the year, but there are many races, so it's best to take one step at a time."
I know your girlfriend loves horseback riding. Do you also appreciate it when you get away from the noisy world of motors?
"Yes, she’s very good. I jumped and rode on horseback, too. Of course, I love speed, and I like to jump as high as possible. But most of the time, I just go and watch. I still prefer the mechanical ones!”
