Gardner Finds Pace in Portimão Test Despite Limited Track Time
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team returned to action at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal, for a two-day test (14th-15th March) ahead of the second round of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship, which will take place at the same venue.
On Day 1, the GYTR GRT Yamaha duo waited for track conditions to improve, opting to sit out the opening hours while the track dried after overnight rain. Around midday, once conditions were suitable for riding, both riders headed out on their Yamaha R1 machines to evaluate a number of new components.
Gardner completed a total of 57 laps, showing strong pace and finishing the day sixth fastest with a best time of 1’41.357. Meanwhile, his teammate Aegerter made steady progress, logging 48 laps and ending the session in 14th place with a best lap of 1’42.531.
The second and final day of testing followed a similar pattern, with the team facing tricky track conditions. Gardner had a productive morning, completing 17 laps and consistently improving his lap time from Day 1. Just before the lunch break (13:00 local time), rain began to fall, forcing the riders to delay their afternoon runs. In the final hour of testing, conditions improved, letting the #87 and #77 to perform more laps, with the Australian fifth fastest in the end on a 1’40.544 (33 laps), while his Swiss teammate ended in 15th after 43 laps (1’42.036)
Remy Gardner (1’40.544)
“It was a positive test, and we managed to try some new things ahead of the race. Unfortunately, we missed some valuable track time due to the weather, but we were still able to complete a good number of laps and gather useful data. The lap time was strong, considering it came on a race tyre, and the overall pace was promising, which gives us confidence for the race weekend. That said, we know there’s still work to do, and we’ll make sure to be fully prepared for the second round of the season.”
Dominique Aegerter (1’42.036)
“It’s always nice to be back testing, especially at a track where we’ll be racing in just a few weeks. We tried some new things and gathered valuable data ahead of the second round of the season. Unfortunately, we lost some track time due to the rain, but we still managed to put in some good laps and get a decent amount of dry running. Now it’s time to focus on what we learned and work towards improving as much as possible for the race weekend. I’m confident we can make a step forward in the right direction.”
