GARDNER LOOKING TO SECURE MOTO2 TITLE THIS WEEKEND

Aussie Remy Gardner can seal the FIM Moto2 World Championship this weekend at the Algarve Circuit in Portugal.

To this point, Gardner has won four races compared with his KTM Ajo teammate and sole championship rival Raul Fernandez who has secured six.

However, Gardner has finished on the podium in 11 of the 16 races so far this season, while Fernandez has crashed out of three races.

Most recently Fernandez crashed out of the lead at Misano, so despite only finishing in seventh Gardner was allowed to extend his title lead.

If Gardner extends his championship lead by a further eight points this weekend, he will win the intermediate motorcycle world championship.

Some simple championship ramifications are that if Gardner wins, Fernandez has to finish on the podium, and if Fernandez also fails to finish in the top nine Gardner will be champion (the full list of championship situations are below).

Gardner said no matter what happens in the final two races, he will hold his head up high after the year he has had.

“Whatever happens this year, I think it’s a year that I can be proud of,” he said.

“A lot of mistakes I made in the past I managed to render and fix, and we’ve had a lot of podiums this year and a few wins.

“For me, it’s been an amazing season and it’s not over yet. There’s still two more to go, but I think it’s a season I can be really proud of, whatever happens, but hopefully we can finish it off well.”

Fernandez had the opportunity to win his fourth straight grands prix at Misano before crashing out of the lead.

The Spaniard expressed the mindset is not easy, but he will go out to try and win the final two races.

“I will try to get another victory,” Fernandez said. “In this last part of the season, I am really strong. The last four races I think that I was the faster rider, because I was first in all the races, also in Misano when I crashed.

“I did a small mistake and I crashed, but in the end the mentality will be the same, I will try to do the best and enjoy it.

“The mentality sometimes is really difficult, because for example in Misano a when you are rookie and you have a difficult weekend like that, you don’t have this barrier not to have all the control on the situation.

“But I’m really happy with my speed, with the job of the team and we will try to do the best.”

Gardner will be champion if

• He wins and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 3rd
• He finishes 2nd and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 5th
• He finishes 3rd and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 8th
• He finishes 4th and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 11th
• He finishes 5th and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 13th
• He finishes 6th and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 14th
• He finishes 7th and Raul Fernandez doesn’t finish better than 15th
• He finishes 8th and Raul Fernandez fails to score any points
• If Fernandez fails to finish ninth or better

For more of the latest MotoGP news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.