KTM MotoGP outcast Remy Gardner will switch over to the World Superbike paddock in 2023, with a move to Yamaha satellite team GRT.
Gardner, son of 1987 500cc champion Wayne, won the Moto2 title for KTM last year but is being dropped by the Austrian manufacturer – in rather acrimonious circumstances – after just a single season.
The 24-year-old Australian claimed he had received indications that he would be retained before being told he was out for being “not professional”, while KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer has disputed his version of events.
Gardner has scored nine points on a satellite Tech3 bike in what has been a difficult but not entirely fruitless rookie MotoGP season, although his form has tailed off dramatically since it became clear KTM saw him as surplus to requirements.
He is expected to be replaced by Moto2 frontrunner Augusto Fernandez at Tech3 as it rebrands to being the Gas Gas team, and while he was on RNF Aprilia’s shortlist, he was behind fellow KTM riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez – who have already signed with Aprilia to represent its new satellite team.
I’m sure everyone has seen the news but my immediate focus is to end the season strong with @Tech3Racing but I’m glad to have my future sorted.
— Remy Gardner #87 (@GardnerRemy) September 15, 2022
At GRT Yamaha, Gardner will take the place of sometime Valentino Rossi practice stand-in Garrett Gerloff, who has scored five WSBK podiums since joining the team in 2020.
“Remy is an exciting young talent, who boasts an impressive career inside the grand prix paddock,” said Yamaha Motor Europe’s racing boss Andrea Dosoli.
“We are obviously delighted to have a rider on board who’s not only shown great progression but has experience at the top level of motorcycle racing.
“We believe that he is the perfect fit for Yamaha’s WorldSBK programme and are keen to see what he can do on one of our R1 WorldSBK machines.
“We’d also like to thank Garrett Gerloff for his commitment to Yamaha these past three seasons and we wish him all the best for the future.”
The Yamaha R1 is a competitive proposition in World Superbikes, having propelled works rider Toprak Razgatlioglu to the title last year.
Razgatlioglu is currently second in the 2022 standings, 30 points behind Ducati’s championship leader Alvaro Bautista.
Gardner is the second Tech3 KTM outcast to find refuge in World Superbikes in two years, with his predecessor Iker Lecuona currently spearheading Honda’s WSBK efforts.
