Gardner: KTM ‘maybe did me a favour’, reveals Ducati WorldSBK interest

The former Moto2 world champion will make his official WorldSBK debut during his home round at Phillip Island next month, after leaving the Tech 3 KTM team to join GRT Yamaha on a one-year deal towards the end of last season.

Gardner, who will ride alongside back-to-back WorldSSP champion Dominique Aegerter, has since revealed that Yamaha weren’t the only manufacturer to approach him about moving to WorldSBK.

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Discussions with Aruba.it Ducati Racing Team Manager, Serafino Foti, also took place before deciding to sign with the Japanese brand due to a much ‘simpler and clearer contract’ being offered.

Speaking to GPOne.com, Gardner said: "Ducati sought me out to race in Superbike. I got to talk with Serafino Foti and it was a very interesting conversation. But, in the end, I chose Yamaha because after all the difficulties I encountered in 2022 they made me realise that they really wanted me and presented me with a much simpler and clearer contract. 

"Ducati wanted me too but it was nothing concrete, since I would have been repositioned in a satellite team. 

"I saw Yamaha was very convinced and it was nice to see the representative of a factory team say to me, ‘We want you. Here is the contract. Let’s make it happen’." 

While Gardner has moved away from MotoGP to WorldSBK, a switch that is very rarely completed in the other direction, the Australian is still holding out hope for a second chance in Grand Prix racing, which he feels was ‘maybe deserved’. 

"My 2022 was a really complicated year. I tried to do my best asking, among other things, that some things be changed. Unfortunately there was nothing they could do,” added Gardner.

"In the end that’s what happened and today I’m here in Superbike. Maybe I deserved a second chance, and If I had been given one I would have signed, doing my best as I always have. 

"I’m a rider who always tries to do his best, but maybe they did me a favour."