Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez have received their first taste of MotoGP machinery ahead of their impending graduation to the premier class in 2022 with the Tech 3 KTM team at Misano.
The pair - team-mates already in the KTM-backed Ajo Motorsport team - are currently locked in a simmering battle for the 2021 Moto2 World Championship having notched up 10 wins from 14 races between them.
Gardner currently leads his Spanish counterpart by 34 points, though Fernandez’s six wins represents a new record for victories during a rookie campaign.
Son of 1987 500GP World Champion Wayne Gardner, Remy’s breakout season comes after a steady rise through an intermediate class he has competed in since 2016 and didn’t yield his first win until the concluding round of the 2020 season.
Having gone on to collect four wins and 11 podiums in 2021, Aussie Gardner was blown away by the intensity of the KTM RC16 around the Italian circuit compared with his Kalex Moto2 machine.
“Incredible, honestly. I mean I expected power and strong braking but until you really try it then you don’t know. I was going through gears like there was no tomorrow. Even in the last laps it was mind-blowing how fast it was. I had a great day and a lot of fun. It was good to get a feel for the bike and to try and understand it. It was a nice little treat for us by KTM. I cannot wait to start for real and I’m looking forward to push the bike next time, trying to find those limits.”
At only 20-years old Fernandez is destined to become one of the youngest riders to start in MotoGP, mirroring the likes of Maverick Vinales and Joan Mir in getting his shot after only a single season in Moto2.
“I’m really happy and thanks to KTM for giving me an opportunity. It was an amazing day and incredible to ride that bike. At the beginning there were many new things to think about, like the carbon brakes, but after a while it felt quite easy and I was enjoying it like a kid.
"The power was…wow. I want to start the work for next season as soon as possible even though all my focus is on Moto2 right now. In Valencia we’ll start again.”
