The making of

a champion

"It all starts with an idea…and a bike"

In the world of racing, every championship win, every record-breaking lap, and every fearless manoeuvre begins with a single spark. That same drive exists off the track, where ideas fuel new possibilities.

Whether it’s pushing the limits of performance, mastering technique, or innovating in the face of adversity, the journey always starts in the mind.

motorcycle career

  • Wayne Gardner is born on October 11 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.

  • At age 13, Wayne purchases his first motorcycle for $5 from a local scrap yard. He and a friend repair the old, broken-down bike and begin riding, sparking Wayne’s lifelong passion for motorcycles.

  • At 18, Gardner begins his professional motorcycle racing career, competing in the Australian Championship aboard a second-hand Yamaha TZ250. He finishes second at Amaroo Park and wins his first race at Oran Park Raceway shortly after.

  • Hired by Mamoru Moriwaki to race in the Australian Superbike Championship, Gardner rides a Moriwaki Kawasaki KZ1000.  

    Alongside co-rider John Pace, Gardner qualifies on pole at the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours, beating out factory teams.  

    Fellow racer Graeme Crosby sponsors Gardner to race in Europe. He finishes fourth at the Daytona Superbike race and competes in the British Superbike Championship, winning his first race in England. He ends the season third in the championship after an engine failure in the final race.

  • Gardner's performance earns him a contract with Honda Britain. He finishes fourth in the 1982 Formula TT Championship, building his reputation on the international stage.

  • Gardner makes his 500cc Grand Prix debut at the Dutch TT, riding for Honda Britain. Unfortunately, a collision with reigning world champion Franco Uncini results in a crash, and Gardner finishes the season without points.

  • Gardner wins the British 500cc National Championship. He participates in five Grand Prix races, finishing third at the Swedish GP and earning seventh overall in the World Championship standings.

  • Gardner wins his first Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, racing alongside Masaki Tokuno.

  • Joining the Honda-HRC factory team, Gardner races alongside Freddie Spencer. He wins his first Grand Prix at the Spanish GP and two additional races, finishing second in the 500cc World Championship behind Eddie Lawson.

  • Gardner makes history as the first Australian to win the 500cc World Championship. He wins seven of the 16 races, clinching the title with a victory in Brazil at Goiânia. His race engineer is fellow Australian Jeremy Burgess, who later becomes famous for working with top riders like Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi.

  • Despite a challenging year with the Honda NSR500, Gardner finishes second in the World Championship. He still secures victories in the Netherlands, Belgium, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia.

  • Gardner's World Championship win boosts the popularity of Grand Prix racing in Australia. He helps bring the inaugural Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to Phillip Island.  

    In front of 93,000 fans, Gardner wins the 1989 Australian GP, narrowly beating Wayne Rainey and Christian Sarron. Unfortunately, his season is cut short by a broken leg after crashing at Laguna Seca.

  • Gardner wins his third Suzuka 8 Hours race, further solidifying his legendary endurance racing status.

  • Gardner wins his fourth Suzuka 8 Hours and announces his retirement from 500cc Grand Prix racing. He remains closely involved in the sport, mentoring young riders like Daryl Beattie.

Make it

For a MotoGP World Champion, it’s the idea of chasing greatness, of never settling, and of daring to dream bigger than the track ahead. Because, in life as in racing, the most powerful force is the belief that anything is possible. All it takes is one idea to set it all in motion.

Car racing career

  • Gardner makes his car racing debut in a Formula Holden during the Australian Drivers' Championship, held as a support race for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Adelaide. A crash in practice prevents him from racing, but he gains valuable experience in open-wheel racing.

  • Gardner transitions fully to car racing following his motorcycle retirement. He debuts in the Bathurst 1000, driving a Holden VN Commodore SS Group A. The race is difficult, as heavy rain and a faulty windscreen demister reduce visibility, and the team finishes in 26th place.  

    Gardner also races in four German DTM events for the Jagermeister-sponsored Linder Team, driving a BMW E30 M3 Sport Evolution.

  • Gardner joins the Holden Racing Team, competing in the Australian Touring Car Championship. He wins a Group A support race at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide and finishes third in the Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst alongside co-driver Brad Jones.  

    Controversy follows Gardner when he is briefly suspended from the team for the Sandown 500 after negotiating with Coca-Cola and Holden to form his own racing team.

  • Gardner establishes Wayne Gardner Racing, sponsored by Coca-Cola. He partners with Neil Crompton, and the team races for three seasons. Despite a difficult start in 1995 (both cars crash out in the opening laps of the Bathurst ATCC round), Gardner and Crompton recover to finish third in the Tooheys 1000.

  • Gardner expands his racing activities into the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC), driving a Toyota Supra. He continues racing in Japan until his retirement from motorsport in 2002.

  • Gardner wins a round of the JGTC at Fuji Speedway, demonstrating his competitiveness in the highly challenging Japanese racing scene.

  • Gardner wins another race at Sportsland SUGO. He completes the season as the only Toyota driver to finish every race and score points in each one.

  • After a decade in car racing, Gardner retires from motorsport entirely, having enjoyed success in both motorcycles and cars.

Making of a champion

Making of a champion