GARDNER RETURNS TO TRACK FOR ROOKIE TEST

Remy Gardner has returned to the track for the MotoGP Shakedown Test after fracturing his right wrist in a motocross accident only a couple of weeks ago.

The MotoGP Shakedown Test is an opportunity for rookies and test riders to get up to speed before official testing gets underway and took place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Despite the injury Gardner was competitive on the opening day and finished fifth overall on the timesheets.

“So good to be back on track,” Gardner wrote on social media.

It was the first of the three days for the rookies and test riders, before the rest of the field join the fray for the first official test this weekend at the same venue later this week.

All five rookies took to the track on their 2022 machines with Gardner’s teammate Raul Fernandez setting the fastest lap time of the day, a 2m00.898s.

Ducati test rider Michele Pirro was only 0.144s off the pace in second, third was KTM tester Mika Kallio and Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori.

Although fifth, Gardner was second best of the rookies, and considering the injury, a good start to his season.

Marco Bezzecchi, Darryn Binder, Suzuki test rider Sylvain Guintoli and Fabio Di Giannantonio rounded out the field. Dani Pedrosa also set times, however none were recorded.

Aprilia remains as a concession manufacturer as they failed to score enough podiums last year, however this enables them to field their full-time riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales despite them not being rookies.

On day 1 however Aprilia elected not to put either on track.

Also factory Honda team HRC elected not to run its test rider Stefan Bradl on the opening day.

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