Next generation Gardner to race in Spain
Thirteen year old Remy Gardner, son of Australia’s first 500cc World Motorcycle Champion Wayne Gardner has signed an agreement to race a Pre GP 125cc motorcycle for the Spanish Monlau Competición team, competing in the 2011 “Campeonato Mediterráneo de Velocidad” (CMV).
The Barcelona based Monlau Competición team last season produced World 125cc GP Champion 17-year old Marc Marquez, and is directed by former 125cc World Champion Emilio Alzamora. Monlau are considered one of the leading European race teams.
The ‘Pre GP 125cc’ category is a feeder class to Grand Prix racing. Riders from the age of 12 to 14 compete at Spanish Road Racing circuits on de-tuned 125cc bikes. At fourteen they move up to the “Campeonato de Espana de Velocidad” (CEV), and from there they advance to Grand Prix racing. Young Remy Gardner is about to start an apprenticeship he hopes will take him all the way to GPs in the not too distant future.
Director of Monlau competicion Emilio Alzamora said “it is always a pleasure to help young talented riders, and help them to grow as a competitor and a person in a sport as passionate as Road Racing. We are proud that Monlau Competicion is forming not only Spanish riders, but riders from around the world. In this case, it is a pleasure to have the trust from Australia’s first 500cc World Motorcycle Champion Wayne Gardner, who is giving Monlau Competicion the chance to help his son Remy’s development in Road Racing.”
Emilio also noted “the CMV is a championship where riders such as Maverick Viñales, Miguel Oliverira, Alex Rins, and Alex Marquez have all started, and we trust this new collaboration with Remy will have great success.”
Remy will continue to be based and educated in Australia for the moment thanks to the support of the Virgin Blue Group of Airlines. Remy and Wayne will ‘commute’ to Spain for each of the eight races and additional tests with V Australia, and with Virgin Blue to compete at national interstate events.
Races and tests for the CMV will be run at Alcarras, Albacete, Parcmotor Castelloli, Montmelo Catalunya, and Cheste Valencia circuits in Spain. And in the Motorcycle Road Racing Development Association (MRRDA) series, Remy and eleven year old brother Luca will compete at Phillip Island and Broadford in Victoria, Wakefield in New South Wales, plus Mac Park in South Australia, and Warwick in Queensland.
In addition to the season in Spain, Remy and Luca will contest the MRRDA series nationally, compete in some state based Road Racing events, and continue racing in local, state and national Dirt Track and Longtrack competition.
“This is going to be an incredibly busy and exciting year for ‘Team Gardner’,” said Wayne.
“I truly believe Remy is ready for the European challenge, and I know he’s completely committed to take this on. At the end of last year he competed in the Honda NSF100 Worldwide Mini Bike race at Albacete in Spain and tested a Pre GP 125 at Parcmotor Castelloli. I was really impressed at how he stepped up every time he got on the bike and learned very quickly and maturely. He also rode at Phillip Island for the first time last season and won the MRRDA Australian Nippers Championship on a 70cc Moriwaki,”
Wayne added. “Both boys will continue the one-on-one Road Race training I’ve been doing with them to hone their skills, and I believe the Dirt Track racing will give them an edge both here and internationally, so I’m keen for them to continue competing in that arena, although it won’t be our priority this year.
Team Gardner is sponsored again this season by long time supporter Honda Australia. Honda’s sponsorship of both Remy and Luca over the past three years has been fundamental in the development of the boys’ racing to date. Their backing, combined with new sponsor the iconic Linfox owned Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit will help ensure a strong race program for Team Gardner’s 2011 season. Phillip Island and Wayne Gardner already have a historic relationship, and the Circuit’s support of Team Gardner Racing will further bond this significant association.
Backing from international sponsors is also strong, with Alpinestars increasing their current Dirt Track support of Team Gardner to include Road Racing protection with custom made leathers, boots and gloves. Titax and Xena Intelligent Security have also joined the team this year, along with a rising star in the helmet market, Airoh (worn by Moto GP’s Andrea Dovizioso).
An excited and appreciative Remy said, “I really want to get fit and healthy before I start racing this year and I’ve been getting up early before school to cycle, run or surf every morning, and eating healthy to make sure I’m ready to do my best for our sponsors.” He added, “I can’t wait to get to Spain and race. It’s all I dream about now. I know I’m going to have work really hard to keep up with my schoolwork and study on the plane going over and back – thanks to Virgin Blue that’ll be much easier! But I’m ready to work as hard as I have to, so Mum and Dad let me keep going away to race,” he added.