Even more so the non factory bikes, which people forget not uncommonly were lapped even without crashing.
Even more so the non factory bikes, which people forget not uncommonly were lapped even without crashing.
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
That's funny. I hadn't thought about that; the privateers being regularly lapped, and yet - many of those guys were still highly regarded by the fans. There seems to have been a great shift in the value of fans in that there doesn't seem to be as many that root for the underdog.
Garry Mc Coy actually winning premier class GP races on a bike that was basically brought to the race week-end in the boot of a car was what was really impressive to me, making some allowance for my obvious national allegiance.
Joined Mar 2016
2K Posts | 2K+
FNQ
Fixed. No allegiances required. It was stand alone impressive.
Joined Mar 2016
2K Posts | 2K+
FNQ
I missed qp for moto2. What happened to Remy? He's last on the grid. Did he crash and not complete a lap? Was he just slow?
Joined Mar 2015
2K Posts | 337+
Chertsey, Surrey, UK
It's been interesting so far, I think many of us thought he was living off of his last name and to degree I am sure he was. IIRC there was implications of his garage etc being able to get away with some stuff they shouldn't have been able to before he was in the paddock based on his last name.
The excuses for his poor moto3 results didn't seem valid, and up until last year it looked as if he was destined to be a never was with a famous father. Then he turned things around completely and as an Aussie I couldn't be much happier.
The excuses for his poor moto3 results didn't seem valid, and up until last year it looked as if he was destined to be a never was with a famous father. Then he turned things around completely and as an Aussie I couldn't be much happier.
Same for me. I am pleasantly surprised at how he looks his year, and am hopeful for the future given his consistency, apparent ability to push things without crashing and overtaking prowess, particularly as a large lad by gp bike racing standards, which should be less of a factor in the premier class. Coming through as he has (there was talk he was offered a premier class ride earlier in his career) is probably a good thing as well, as opposed to the likes of Lecuona who might be one and done after being tossed straight into the premier class much younger.
Perhaps his earlier unimpressiveness was at least partly equipment or team related, I don't think Dad Wayne was convinced some of the earlier choices made by him and his manager were necessarily the best ones going by an interview I saw.
Interesting. I always figured that his dad had final say more or less/would be the confidant whom Remy would make his decisions with. But perhaps Wayne was happy to let Remy make his own decisions/mistakes which would also not surprise me either as he does come across as the kind of guy who will let you make your own mistakes believing that's a better way to learn than just being told not to.
Not to mention a lot of father son relationships can fall apart when the father is playing the managerial role as well which is something both of them may not have wanted to chance either.
I too, was unconvinced of Remy's talent earlier on. But, last year i thought he started to show something on the bike and seemed to mature quite a bit. He was getting reasonable results, better than the bike should be capable of, and kept his head down and focused on the job. Other teams took note, he ended up on a good team and now he is really making the most of the opportunity. Can't wait to see him on the big boy bikes next year.
On another note, Oli Baylis, WOW. Won his first race in the Aussie Superbike championship yesterday. Man, for someone so young (17), I am really impressed how he can jump on a superbike and ring its neck the way he does. There wouldn't be too many his age that can jump on a Ducati Panigale and ride the way he did, powersliding out of turns at full tilt. A real chip off the old block, so to speak. I can see Ducati giving him a run on a Moto GP bike real soon.
Might be another golden age for Aussie's with these 2 in the future.
On another note, Oli Baylis, WOW. Won his first race in the Aussie Superbike championship yesterday. Man, for someone so young (17), I am really impressed how he can jump on a superbike and ring its neck the way he does. There wouldn't be too many his age that can jump on a Ducati Panigale and ride the way he did, powersliding out of turns at full tilt. A real chip off the old block, so to speak. I can see Ducati giving him a run on a Moto GP bike real soon.
Might be another golden age for Aussie's with these 2 in the future.
Yes I was a big Wayne Gardner fan back in the day, but became less enamoured of him in his early retirement when he came across as something of a ...... and envious of Mick Doohan’s even greater success.
I am warming to him again now he is more invested in Remy to whom while proud and supportive he seems to have exactly the right attitude rather than being one of those fathers trying to re-live his own glory days, or to have vicarious glory days through their children, although as opposed to most in that category he obviously did have his own quite considerable days of glory on a world stage.
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One more to keep an eye on, though on 4 wheels this time rather than 2. Mick Doohans boy, Jack, has just won his first F3 race and is looking to head to F1. He has signed up to Red Bulls junior drivers program, so I guess he is on the best path to F1, with RB backing you. They say the apple never falls far from the tree, and it really seems true in the case of the Gardner, Baylis and Doohan clans.
Joined Apr 2008
7K Posts | 3K+
Out of Nowhere
Loved Digger in his day. Always struck me as a difficult individual - and suspect that his presence in the paddock had a negative effect of Remy, particularly given their fractious relationship in the past. He hadn't managed to get to races throughout the ..... crisis, and when he eventually rematerialised at Spielberg this month, the resultant 4th and 7th made me fear the worst. Don't think he was at Silverstone this weekend was he?
Maybe so, didn’t know he was at Spielberg. But I don’t mark Remy down for the 7th, apart from not doing better in qualifying perhaps, he got shuffled back at the start and took the most points available for him rather than throwing it down the road like Raul Fernandez did, although Fernandez while obviously a great talent is a rookie and apparently hadn’t ridden at Silverstone before. I think Remy who I didn’t have great hopes for when he was younger seems to have developed well and is showing a fair amount of composure, and as has been said might be suited by the premier class given his size.
Good to see you posting btw. Still greatly regret never making it to a Grand Prix weekend with you guys.
Have not had a lot of dealings with him, only a small number both at tracks and at other places.
He has mellowed, heaps.
I did fear that he was living through Remy for a number of years, much like the 'bad parent' that pushes their child to achieve and what not, the one that screams at officials or the coach if their kid is not good enough.
What I have seen (and heard - a mate of mine is in near weekly touch with him) is that he has mellowed and is settling down a fair bit.
In may mate's words, it just took him longer to lose the competitive instincts and accept retirement
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