The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo of Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi secured points on the final day of action at the iconic Phillip Island Circuit, Australia, finishing 14th and 15th respectively in Race 2.
Despite overnight rainfall, conditions were dry for the morning Warm Up session, allowing both riders to complete valuable laps ahead of the races. Manzi finished the session in 15th position, while Gardner was 20th.
Later in the day, local hero Gardner made a strong start in the dry Tissot Superpole Race. Over the 10-lap sprint, he battled intensely until the final lap, where an unfortunate clash dropped him to 16th place, meaning he would start Race 2 from 14th on the grid.
As rain returned, Race 2 was declared wet. Gardner made a solid start and showed competitive pace in the early stages. However, grip issues in the closing laps limited his progress, and he ultimately brought the bike home in 14th place after the 22-lap contest.
Rookie Stefano Manzi delivered an impressive Superpole Race, fighting hard throughout. A stunning final lap allowed him to climb through the field and finish 13th. In Race 2, Manzi struggled to find confidence in his first-ever wet WorldSBK race, but still managed to secure his first championship point with a 15th-place finish.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will return to action on 9–10 March for a test session at the Autodromo do Algarve, ahead of Round 2 of the season at the same venue on 27–29 March.
FULL SUPERPOLE RACE RESULTS
FULL RACE TWO RESULTS
Remy Gardner – Superpole Race: P16 / Race 2: P14
“It’s been a tough weekend, honestly, but we can still take some positives. We made progress overall, and I was able to ride despite the injury, which is important. I’m happy to have finished the races and gathered valuable data. Now we head back to Europe, where we’ll return to the tyres we’re more familiar with. We also have a test in Portimão before the race, so hopefully we can find more speed, regroup, and come back stronger.”
Stefano Manzi – Superpole Race: P13 / Race 2: P15
“It was a crazy Sunday due to the changing weather conditions, even from the morning. Thankfully, we were able to complete some dry laps in Warm Up and then race in dry conditions in the Superpole Race. The feeling improved a lot compared to yesterday, and I really enjoyed the battles. Unfortunately, Race 2 was much more difficult. I felt confident going into the wet race after our test in Jerez, but the feeling wasn’t there, and I couldn’t ride the way I wanted. We’ll keep working to improve and, back in Europe, I hope we can make a step forward.
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