Bad Boy No.9: Anthony Gobert

First seen tearing a Kawasaki round WSB rounds, now seen struggling to hold down a job in Subway

Posted: 7 December 2010
by Stuart Barker

Seven-times AMA Superbike champion and Ben Spies-beater Mat Mladin once  said of Anthony Gobert that he was the most naturally talented rider ever to throw a leg over a motorcycle. But the thrill of racing a factory Suzuki in 500cc Grands Prix, or of winning World Superbike races on factory Kawasakis and Bimotas, was never enough to content the wayward Australian.

Riding as a wild card at the 1994 WSB round at Phillip Island, Gobert stunned the series regulars by setting pole position and taking a win and a third place. His incredible performance put the then 19-year-old on every team’s wish list and he eventually opted to replace Scott Russell in the factory Kawasaki squad. He won two races 1995 and a further three in ’96 before moving to 500cc Grands Prix on a factory RGV Suzuki.

Gobert caused an immediate sensation in the world’s premier racing class straight away by flipping a middle finger at world champion Mick Doohan on track during pre-season testing and branding him a ‘loser.’ But he caused an even bigger sensation when he was sacked from the dream job mid-season for failing a drugs test. He tested positive for marijuana.

Gobert found a new home in America riding a Ducati in the AMA Superbike Championship and again won a WSB race riding as a wild card at Laguna Seca, but was sacked again after once more testing positive for marijuana.

Continue the criminal look at Anthony Gobert



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Discuss this story


pyndman
Wow. I was wondering what happened to him. I thought I'd made little of my talents. That's extraordinary.

Posted: 08/12/2010 at 10:01


richard_oxon
real real shame he could of had it all .the guy so so fast every one thought he was so cool to the way he used to slide the zxr750 about ,but as they say he only human and we all make bad decison in life ........hope you get it sorted out ant and thanks for the times i did get to see ya race ........

Posted: 25/12/2010 at 13:08


squiddles mcgee

Wow a multi million dollar career thrown away over weed, a drug which is less potent than beer.  What a shame.


Posted: 31/03/2011 at 07:41


Mr.D
Anthony a good Kid ,, Still have one of his Factory Yamaha Shirts.
He used to hit me up for a Cig in tha AMA Pits

Posted: 27/11/2011 at 20:34


roger falk
Such a shame! I have the empty champagne bottle from his WSBK win at Laguna Seca and shared hites from a brandy flask at other tracks.

Posted: 24/04/2012 at 23:18


Eric Falkenhagen
Well I knew Anthony as a little boy racing motocross and then on to supercross with John Fenton Promotions where he got the name the Go Show by John, I enjoyed many a VB with his dad Steve around the SX circuts around Australia, what a waste of talent I wish him luck in kicking the drugs as he is still young enough to carve out a career in motorcycling. Good luck to all the Gobert family, Sue, Steve, from Falky.

Posted: 26/05/2012 at 10:49


Hugh Jarse

"Don't Bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me".

 

What famous bike film did you hear that sung in?


Posted: 27/05/2012 at 18:26


Gut Feeling
I think when he turned up overweight at Laguna Seca and said "I want to see how fat I can get and still win races", and from memory also missed one of the practice sessions (infuriating the team manager) and then in the race was smashing everyone and looking very comfortable before he had a front-end lose (on the last corner of the track from memory), it was highly unprofessional, but as a race fan it was EXTREMELY entertaining!

It's very frustrating to watch from a viewer's/fan's point of view but like he says he's only human, with normal human problems just like anybody else. Overdoing drugs (alchohol included) will do that to you it seems.

Posted: 28/02/2013 at 23:20

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