Wayne Gardner, the 1987 500cc champion, talks about how his life has changed in recent years, analyzes the keys to Jorge Martín’s title and explains why Ducati chose Marc Márquez.
Par Manuel Rodriguez / Motosan.es
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that someone like Wayne Gardner needs no introduction. It’s rare to have the chance to speak to such an important, legendary and iconic figure as the 1987 500cc champion, and runner-up in 1986 and 1988. In the first part of this exclusive interview with Motosan.es, Wayne Gardner shares with us what his year 2024 has been like and, of course, gives us his analysis of the current state of the World Championship.
Last year, he told us that since leaving motorsport, his life had changed a lot. What has 2024 been like for Wayne Gardner?
»A lot has changed. I no longer race motorcycles or cars, so that part of my life is over. But I’m involved in a lot of business and I’m having fun. I am myself and I have an activity in construction. I am a real estate developer in France, Monaco and Australia. It’s difficult, hectic and requires a lot of work, but I really enjoy it. I also have a few small side businesses. So yes, I’m very busy. “
What excites you about the future? Do you have any projects or goals in mind?
» I have a lot of plans for the future. You’ve probably seen on my social media that I’ve expanded my platform. I now produce different levels of contact with many fans around the world who still follow me. In addition to the developments in France, Monaco and Australia, I have other small products that I will launch next year. I can’t say too much right now, but they are related to the motorcycle world. “
It seems that your son Remy (10th this season) is still having difficulty adapting to Superbike: what do you think he is missing, and what is his room for improvement?
“He was Moto2 world champion three years ago, so I don’t see why he couldn’t do much better. I’m not really involved with the team or Remy’s races now, but I think he’s missing something. I think when Remy was with Aki and his group, Aki was able to bring out the magic that Remy has in him. His talent has not changed. I know his talent is still there, but I think his mind is somewhere else or something. I’m not so sure. But he certainly didn’t get the results I was hoping for, and I’m sure he didn’t get what he hoped for either. I don’t know what the reason is, I’m not that close to Remy to understand it, but when I watch him on TV I can see that, like I said, the talent is still there. He still has a lot of talent, but the results haven’t lived up to my expectations, and that’s part of the team’s job, not mine. So I’m a little frustrated to see that on my side, because I know he has the abilities, but there’s something missing in the puzzle right now. “
Jorge Martin is the first champion in the MotoGP era to win with a satellite team. What value do you place on its title?
» He has always been a great talent. He’s had his ups and downs over the years, but since joining Ducati and the satellite team, his approach has improved a lot. In fact, his satellite team, Pramac, is a very, very good team. It’s almost like a factory team. He rode well. This year he had a factory bike. Between Pecco and him, there is not much difference. I think Pecco is probably the faster of the two, but Jorge Martin may have had a little more consistency in his driving. They are two very, very talented riders, and to be on this team or at Ducati this year, they were definitely the two most outstanding riders. We all thought one of them would win the championship, and they finished first and second. Jorge Martin therefore deserves it. He did a great job this year. He had a little more consistency than Pecco, but when the bike was not going well, he knew how to control himself, take the points, and as they say, “the points make the prizes”. So he was crowned champion and he deserves it, he did a good job. “
Were you surprised that Ducati chose Marquez over him?
» I wasn’t surprised. To be honest, if it had been me, I probably would have stayed with Jorge. But Marc is a very talented driver, there is no doubt about that. They are both Spanish pilots, aren’t they? I think what Ducati did was take Marquez out of the competition. It is better for him to work with them than against them. They know how good Marc is. He seems to have improved a lot since joining Ducati. Obviously, Ducati has the best bike in the field, and it’s been like that for many years. And Marc did well with the Honda, that’s why he had so many crashes. He still has a few crashes, but now he’s a little more consistent, and I guess it’s because the bike is much better. But from Ducati’s point of view, they cannot risk having Marquez in a rival team. It’s better to put him on their team, and then they know they’ll win with Pecco or Marquez next year. So they had to make a decision, and that’s what happened. And now Martin is going to Aprilia; I think he’s going to be amazing on this bike. I think it will make the championship even more interesting, to be honest. “
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Manuel Rodriguez
