Race FeatuRe Words by: AlAstAir fagAn pics by: HondA Race FeatuRe // WaYNe GaRDNeR// We caught up with Wayne Gardner in Portimao to skim over his career, talk about the current state of racing, and Q discuss the mess Wollongong that Honda are in Wonder ayne Gardner was from went out and won on Sunday. I the golden era of GPs, wanted to show I wasn’t giving up Wan era when racing because I couldn’t win anymore.” with enough metalwork holding “Suzuka, 1992, was the final your body together to substitute blow for me. I thought I could get scaffolding a house was the norm. away without any major injuries, QPulling a sicky for a couple rounds and my greatest fear was ending wasn’t an option. Gardner was as up in a wheelchair. Snapping my hard as they come, and one of very leg was the next worse thing.” few to truly tame the beastly 500cc “I’d already crashed in the race two-smokers. But the 1987 World and remounted, and was up to champ very nearly quit after his third. But I went down again. I first GP. Wayne takes up the story. remember skidding for ages and “In 1983, I was racing an RS500 went feet-first into a gap in the in the uK, and I asked Honda if I air fence, hitting the wall and could do a wildcard at assen. they breaking my leg. the sound was said yes, but I had to pay. In the like crushing a packet of crisps. I race, Franco uncini had crashed pulled my leg out, it was facing the ahead and I saw bikes avoiding wrong way and thought, ‘fuck it, him, but I hit him as he tried to run I can’t carry on like this’. I knew I across the track. He span round was done then. and his helmet flew off, and Franco “Perhaps my best race was at ended up coma. I went to visit him Paul Ricard in 1988. coming into in hospital. He was just lying there France, I’d won three on the trot on a steel bed, twitching. It was an and I had to win to catch Lawson. ugly scene. I was going to retire But we had big problems with the then and there, especially because bike that year. they pushed the people were blaming me for his engine down and it wouldn’t go injuries, but I had some good round corners, it wouldn’t steer. people around me.” When we finally figured it out, we thankfully, ‘Digger’ continued were unstoppable. and was part of late 80’s / early “With a few laps to go, I pulled 90’s GP showdown, avec Rainey, a gap of a couple of seconds and Lawson, Schwantz et al. the crew really got my head down. On the produced some of the best racing last lap, on the back straight, the in history, but what were Wayne’s temperature gauge went through favourite snippets? the roof, the water pump had “all the Phillip Island races broken and machined its way into were good, and Donington in 1992 the cases and oil was firing out was special: I just announced my of the breather and onto the rear retirement on the Saturday and tyre. It seized at the end of the 122 Fast Bikes February ’10 www.fastbikesmag.com www.fastbikesmag.com Fast Bikes February ‘10 123 Race FeatuRe Race FeatuRe // WaYNe GaRDNeR// talent is a major ingredient. on Stoner’s colours for 2011. If and holding on.” Career History talking to Pedrosa, he admits his Pedrosa’s time does run out and So you’re not a fan of 800s and time is running out. I’ve told him he doesn’t win next season, Stoner all the electronic aids then? that unless this shit gets sorted could be heading back to Honda “Dorna have made a few straight and nearly chucked me up. eventually Honda got it and Honda find the right manager and reunited with Suppo. mistakes in the past, and the off. I managed to limp round with a sorted, and I wanted to keep with the drive and personality, he talking of Stoner, Wayne, didn’t introduction of 800s was one cylinder gone and finished fourth, using them. Doohan didn’t. the ain’t gonna win a championship. you ride his Desmo GP9? of them. the concept was to but I lost what would have been bike felt stupidly slow, but the taking nothing away from Dani “Yeah, it was weird. You’re reduce speed but they’ve just got my second world title. It broke my lap times were really good. the and I don’t know what he’s like to twisting the throttle and it’s as if faster. Plus, the corner speed has heart; racing is such a cruel bitch.” Japs didn’t know what to do, but work with, but it looks like they’re it’s not connected to the bike. the been upped which makes things Just as Wayne’s career was eventually went for my opinion, lacking feedback. However bad computer makes all the decisions. even more dangerous, and the threatening to end, another aussie and the motors turned out to be the situation is, I hate seeing this there’s too much rider control electronics have been brought in dismal mess they’re in.” taken away via electronics, and to control this. But everything is time will tell if the mysterious you don’t have that connection controlled via electronics. I think i lost my second world title, relocation of Livio Suppo from with the rear wheel. It ain’t right. we should go back to the 990s Ducati to Honda will have a the thing’s popping and banging, and have a control ECU, where it’s “racing is such a cruel bitch significant impact.t he man who and I’m like, ‘shit, is the pitlane not the guy on the laptop winning Wayne brought casey Stoner to Bologna limiter on?’ these days, riders are races. We need that sideways- was starting to muscle in on his unstoppable. there was” so much is sure to have an influence just slamming the throttle open cornering and sliding back to add ‘Digger’ glory. Mick Doohan was Digger’s traction, even in the wet, and team-mate at Rothmans Honda it wasn’t too long before other ‘the Big H’ their prime-time in GPs. Wayne has strong opinions on the garDner and, although compatriots, they manufacturers were recording the But, with the exception of Nicky current state of the Honda camp. computers make the decisions, too much 1983 – Honda Britain - NS 500 didn’t always wave the same flag. engine sound in pit lane, and then Hayden’s somewhat debatable “Listen, I have no allegiance to 1984 – Honda Britain - NS 500 – Back then, highsides were slowing it down to work 2006 title, things haven’t gone to any manufacturer now, and I can rider“ control is taken away with electronics 7th overall more common than underage out the firing order.” plan since Valentino jumped to be as critical as I want. If I look at 1985 – Rothmans Honda – NSR pregnancies, and the pair were Gardner raced nothing but Yamaha. What’s the deal? even the Repsol Honda team, I can see to the excitement, and produce 500 – 4th overall ” Winner – Suzuka 8-hour complaining about the lack of rear Hondas during his career. He they’re in a real mess. It looks like better racing. With these 800s, 1986 – Rothmans Honda – NSR grip. Honda had been working on a was the dictionary definition of the internals and team structure you can’t afford to make a single 500 – 2nd overall big-bang engine as a solution, with Rothmans Honda. along with has fallen apart, and there’s mistake. they’re so one-line.” Winner – Suzuka 8-hour an all-new crank and firing order. Doohan, and later Rossi, he gave nobody at the wheel. a team being So, you suggest a similar route 1987 – Rothmans Honda – NSR “they brought along this new run by riders and their managers is that Formula One has taken: ditch 500 – World Champion engine to Phillip Island for some a bad recipe.” traction control, slash costs and 1988 - Rothmans Honda – NSR testing but they kept blowing So is it the riders, the bikes, or boost grids? 500 – 2nd overall are the poor results just down to “exactly. Just look at F1. I 1989 – Rothmans Honda – NSR 500 – 10th overall team politics? mean, Jenson Button winning 1990 – Rothmans Honda – NSR “the team is only as good as the a championship? they’ve 500 – 5th overall riders, as feedback, and obviously scrapped some electronics, and 1991 – Rothmans Honda – NSR all of a sudden, there’s no Ferrari 500 – 5th overall or other one-team domination. Winner – Suzuka 8-hour the racing is so much better and 1992 – Rothmans Honda – NSR any number of drivers could win. 500 – 6th overall Winner – Suzuka 8-hour Before this year, when was the last time you saw an F1 car drifting sideways on the exit of a turn? It’s the same for the bikes, and if the equipment unless you’re factory- racing continues like it is, we’ll backed, and were asking for stupid have no spectators left.” money for the bikes. I mean, a Having started his career on 250 million euros? and you have to give GP bikes, Wayne isn’t keen on the the fucker back at the end of the demise of the class, and the new year! they’ve driven the category chapter of Moto2.