‘Heartbroken’ Remy Gardner told he's 'not professional enough' as KTM swings axe

Remy Gardner says he has been left ‘heartbroken’ after the rookie was informed by KTM his services won’t be retained for the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season.

The Australian - son of 1987 500GP World Champion Wayne Gardner - joins fellow rookie Tech 3 Racing team-mates Raul Fernandez in being given the boot by KTM after just a single season in the premier ranks.

However, while Fernandez has sourced an alternative deal at RNF Aprilia for 2023, Gardner accepts there are no more opportunities for him on the MotoGP grid after being informed last weekend that he won’t secure the remaining seat at the rebranded GASGAS Racing team for next year.

“Nothing is clear at the moment… but I’m not going to be in MotoGP,” he told reporters - including our sister publication Crash.net - assembled for this weekend’s San Marino MotoGP at Misano.

“I felt like I always gave my 100% for them [KTM]. My intention was to stay here and give my best and honestly, they've broken my heart.”

Gardner’s axing marks a sharp turnaround in favour from KTM twelve months on from sealing the 2021 Moto2 World Championship over Fernandez.

While it took some seasons for Gardner to find his form in Moto2, his switch to the KTM-backed Ajo Motorsport team for the 2021 season yielded the consistency he needed to emerge as a title winner.

Promoted to MotoGP with Fernandez, the two rookies have however struggled for form on the inconsistent KTM RC16 package, particularly compared with fellow Moto2 graduates Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio di Giannantonio.

When asked by reporters what KTM had told him when delivering the news, Gardner says he was described as ‘not professional enough’.

“I felt like maybe there's not an appreciation for the [Moto2] world championship I brought them as well. I was just giving my best all the time and I guess it wasn't good enough.

“Anyway, I'm just going to continue giving my 100%, but for nobody except myself and obviously the people who work with me.”

“Wasn't expecting it to be honest. I've always given 100% and unfortunately I don't think it was good enough."

Who will join GASGAS for 2023 MotoGP season?

In what has been a stressful couple of weeks for Gardner, the 24-year old only discovered his place at KTM was under threat during the last round at the Red Bull Ring when Pit Beirer told the media he had made a last ditch attempt to retain Miguel Oliveira.

With a surprised Gardner admitting his options looked slim if the Portuguese rider did agree to a new deal to join GASGAS, it appeared he had been given a reprieve earlier in the week when it was confirmed Oliveira would be heading to RNF Aprilia instead.

However, it turns out Gardner had already been informed of KTM’s decision to axe him before Oliveira’s deal was announced publicly.

It means there is speculation as to which rider could fill the remaining seat to join Pol Espargaro, with Moto2 title contender Augusto Fernandez considered the favourite to be promoted from Moto2.

The Spaniard - who joined Ajo KTM from Marc VDS this year - is currently battling Ai Ogura and Celestino Vietti for the Moto2 World Championship, his campaign having been boosted by four wins in six races, including three in a row.

In all, he has won seven Moto2 races and 16 podiums since making his debut in 2017.