Image: Supplied.

A fifth-place finish in race two marked a positive end to Remy Gardner’s weekend at round five of the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), overcoming what was a difficult Saturday to rebound with a top-five performance.

The GYTR GRT Yamaha rider put a late-race retirement in the opening encounter of the weekend behind him, setting sights on redemption for the following day. Although Sunday’s Superpole eventuated in a P15 finish, Gardner was ready when the lights went out for the race.

Getting a strong launch off the line, the 27-year-old claimed a haul of positions early, racing his way up into fifth position at the Czech Republic circuit. It was there that he would remain as the laps wound down, ending the weekend on a high note with the result.

“What a way to end the weekend,” commented Gardner. “The sprint race didn’t go well, I wasn’t feeling great on the bike, but we kept pushing and stayed focused on race two. That made the difference – I felt much better and could fight with the front group.

“I had a great start, which helped me get into a good position early. The pace was strong, and I stayed close to the podium group for most of the race, then in the final five laps, I managed to open a gap and secure fifth place [which is] a really strong top-five finish.”

Gardner’s result at Most added valuable points to his championship tally, with the Australian currently 12th in the season standings, as the championship heads to Misano for the sixth round on June 13-15.