Wayne Gardner

Template:Infobox Former Grand Prix motorcycle rider

Wayne Michael Gardner OAM (born (1959-10-11) 11 October 1959 (age 64) in Wollongong, New South Wales) is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500 cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class.^[1] His success on the world motorcycle racing circuit earned him the nickname The Wollongong Whiz.

Gardner began his racing career in 1977 at age 18, riding a second-hand Yamaha TZ250 bike in the Australian championship and finishing second on debut at Amaroo Park. He went on to record his first win a few weeks later at Oran Park Raceway.^[2]

He won his first 500 cc race at the Jarama circuit in Spain in 1986, the 500 cc World Championship in 1987 and the inaugural Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1989.^[1][2] For his entire Grand Prix career, Gardner raced for the Rothmans Honda team and was joined on that team by fellow Australian Michael Doohan in 1989.^[2]

Gardner also won four Suzuka 8 Hours races in 1985, 1986, 1991 and 1992.^[3][4][5][6]

Gardner retired from motorcycle racing following the 1992 season but stayed closely involved with the sport, helping various riders like Daryl Beattie early in their careers. He rode at special events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed on classic Honda motorcycles and raced again at the Goodwood race meeting against fellow bikers James Whitham, the late Barry Sheene and ex-Formula One driver Damon Hill.

Following his retirement from the 500 cc championship, Gardner turned his interests to four-wheeled motorsport.^[7] He began his touring car career in 1992, driving the Raider Motorsport built Bob Forbes Racing VN Commodore, leased by Graham Moore for the 1992 Bathurst 1000. In 1993 Gardner won a race at the Australian Grand Prix weekend and finishing third in the prestigious Bathurst 1000, driving a Holden Commodore.^[8] Many incidents while driving for the Holden Racing Team in 1993 led to him being given the nickname Captain Chaos, and actually led to his brief suspension from the team for that year's Sandown 500. For the 1994 season he formed his own team, Wayne Gardner Racing, where he raced for three seasons with team mate Neil Crompton. The team folded after a partial 1999 season with a leased car from Perkins Engineering, but he continued racing V8 Supercars until 2002, with the highlight of taking pole position for the 2000 Bathurst 1000. Wayne Gardner is also noted^{[by whom?]} for winning the first round in the V8 Supercar Championship's inaugural season in 1997, at Calder Park Raceway.

Gardner also made a foray into the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, racing a works Toyota Supra, in 1996 and raced in this competition until his retirement from motorsport in 2001.^[9][10] He won a round of the championship in 1999 (at Fuji Speedway) and 2001 (at Sportsland SUGO). He also had the distinction in 2001 of being the only Toyota driver to finish every race that season, and he also finished every race in the points.

Gardner made a one-off appearance at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gardner was entered in the Riley & Scott with Philippe Gache and fellow ex-motorcycle rider Didier de Radiguès. They qualified 26th, but failed to finish due to engine problems after completing 155 laps.^[11]

Wayne Gardner donated his handprints in 1993 to assist endangered species and world peace causes with Davson's Artists For Life charity.

• Following his victory in the 1987 500 cc World Championship, Gardner was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1988s Honours List.
• The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme honored him as a MotoGP Legend.^[12]

Points system from 1969 to 1987:

Points system from 1988 to 1992:

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

In part sourced from^[13]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wayne Gardner.

• Wayne Gardner's official website
• An interview with Wayne Gardner at Faster and Faster