Wayne Gardner vs Eddie Lawson
The Wollongong Whiz who conquered the world.
Wayne Gardner (born 11 October 1959) is an Australian former professional motorcycle and touring car racer. He became the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class in 1987, riding for the Honda factory racing team.
Quick Facts
- Gardner titles
- 1987
- Primary teams
- Rothmans Honda vs Yamaha Factory Racing
- Racing class
- 500 cc (0.5 L) Grand Prix
- Gardner nickname
- The Gardener
- Lawson nickname
- The Eagle
Lore & Background
Gardner's 1987 500cc World Championship saw a sharp rise in the popularity of Grand Prix motorcycle racing in Australia. He finished second in the championship in 1988 behind American Eddie Lawson, who rode for the factory Marlboro Yamaha team. Lawson won four world championships, but Giacomo Agostini won eight 500cc titles and Mick Doohan won five.
Reader's Guide
Gardner's career highlights include winning the 1987 500cc World Championship, four Suzuka 8 Hours victories (1985, 1986, 1991, 1992), and winning his home Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1989 and 1990. He also competed in touring car racing from 1993 to 2002.
Did You Know?
- His race engineer in 1987 was fellow Australian Jeremy Burgess.
- Both of his sons, Remy and Luca, are motorcycle racers.
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