Sensational Double Podium for Aegerter in Jerez Season Finale
Dominique Aegerter achieved his maiden WorldSBK podium to finish second in the Superpole Race and third in the final feature race of the year. It was a strong run too for Remy Gardner, who crossed the line sixth in the Superpole Race and fourth in Race 2.
After finding good feelings in the morning, the #77 and the #87 were ready for a good Tissot Superpole Race. Both got off the line well, but a technical problem occurred for Aegerter which caused the race to stop after two laps. The Swiss rider was able to rejoin at the restart, managing to lead the race in the early stages. ‘Domi’ then dropped to second, managing to defend his place with stunning race pace to achieve his maiden WorldSBK podium. In the meantime, Gardner showed good speed as well, eventually crossing the line in sixth after the 10-lap contest.
Following on from this, the #77 and the #87 enjoyed a fantastic final race of the 2023 season. Aegerter was in victory contention, running just behind the likes of Bautista (Ducati) and Razgatlıoğlu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK). The Swiss rider showed great race pace again and was able to keep his third place after the 20-lap contest, just 0.3s off the winner. Meanwhile, Gardner settled himself into a solid fourth, managing to catch his teammate in the latter stages of the race despite not being in optimal physical shape following his Saturday crash. In the end, the Aussie rider kept his position until the chequered flag, matching his best WorldSBK result so far.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team has been crowned Best Independent Team of the 2023 WorldSBK season; moreover, Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner’s result brought the team into fourth place in the team standings.
Dominique Aegerter – Superpole Race: P2 / Race 2: P3
“What a day it was! We faced a rollercoaster Superpole Race with a technical issue in the beginning, but then the guys were able to make me rejoin the track immediately and we achieved a fantastic result. To score my maiden WorldSBK podium is such a great emotion. Things went even better a few hours later, enjoying such an unforgettable Race 2, where we showed stunning race pace. During the race I thought about trying a move for the victory, but mainly I was focused about not making mistakes and coming back home with a feature race podium. I’m speechless, it was truly a redemption day and a great way to finish the season. I would like to thank everyone for their support throughout the season. We also secured the Top Independent Team Championship, which is good. I’d like to dedicate this Team win to Mirko (Giansanti).”
Remy Gardner – Superpole Race: P6 / Race 2: P4
“To be honest, today I wasn’t even sure about racing due to the crash I suffered yesterday. After Warm Up I felt I could do the races, but it was painful, I’m not going to lie. The Superpole race was a decent one, unfortunately due to the red flag our rear tyre was quite used, and I struggled with grip in the latter stages of the race. Then, in Race 2 I could smell the podium, we finished so close, and I could catch the group fighting for the victory. Unfortunately, I missed a bit of pace in the end as I pushed a lot to close the gap and I felt a bit of pain as well which maybe prevented me from doing more. Anyway, it’s not a bad way to finish the year, we’re aware we have good potential and that we can have a strong 2024. To finish on the top of the Independent Teams is also nice, and I would like to dedicate this win to Mirko (Giansanti), who sadly passed away a few months ago.”