Australia will have two riders on the MotoGP grid for the first time in two years this weekend, with Remy Gardner set to be called up as an injury replacement for Alex Rins at the factory Yamaha team for the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.
Gardner, son of 1987 500cc world champion Wayne Gardner, is in his second season riding for Yamaha in the World Superbike Championship since leaving MotoGP after a difficult 2022 rookie campaign for Tech3 KTM, where he finished in 23rd place in the standings.
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Gardner, the 2021 Moto2 world champion riding for Kalex, sits in seventh place in the World Superbikes standings after four rounds this season, his best result coming when he finished third in race two of the Dutch round at Assen in April.
As reported by Autosport, Gardner will join fellow Australian Jack Miller in the 22-rider field in Germany, and will compete in a Saturday sprint race – introduced to the series in 2023 after his departure from the series – for the first time.
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The 26-year-old finished 15th from 21st on the grid to score points in his sole MotoGP outing at the Sachsenring in 2022.
Rins crashed heavily at the first corner of the Dutch TT at Assen last Sunday, the Spaniard suffering multiple fractures in his right hand and left leg and undergoing surgery in Madrid on Monday.
Yamaha couldn’t consider regular test rider and former MotoGP race-winner Cal Crutchlow to partner 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo at the Sachsenring, Crutchlow sidelined with a right hand injury that saw him have to withdraw from a scheduled wildcard appearance at last month’s Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.
Rins is expected to be fit to return to action after MotoGP’s three-week summer break following Germany, with the next race set for Silverstone and the British Grand Prix from August 2-4, where Crutchlow will also compete as a wildcard.
Source Agencies
