Remy Gardner feels he needed just one more lapꦓ to complete a remarkable 11th-to-podium recove🧔ry during the final eight laps of Sunday's Qatar Moto2 Grand Prix.

"One more lap and we would h🀅ave been there. Unfortunately, my attack started a bit too late," said the Australian, still riding a&nb🤡sp;2019 spec Kalex for the Onexox SAG team.

Gardner had qualified in six🍰th place but spent the opening half of the grand prix on the🧸 defensive.

"I was really getting caught up in a lot of fi🦩ghts, especially with the full fuel🦋 tank, I noticed it a lot in the first ten laps," he explained.

"I'm a heavy guy and adding that extra fuel just makes it that much more difficult. They ca🐭n come past me on the straights and it's really hard for me to fight in𒈔 those few laps.

"So I went al🅠l the way back to eleventh༒. I was really back in the weeds."

But when some riders ahead hit front-tyre issues, Gardn🎐er remained strong.

"I still had a good feeling and could still push on the front," he said. "So I just started attacking and riding my absolute hardest for ten laps. Made some really good, smart passe🉐s as well. Made it all the way to the front group. One more l🐲ap and I'd have had the podium."

Gardner crossed the line in fifth position, only h🍬alf-a-second from Enea ✤Bastianini and a podium place while also within 1.901s of race winner Tetsuta Nagashima.

"I nearly had fourth, with Joe [Roberts] we had a little touch in the last ꦜcorner," Gardner sa🌳id.

"Honestly, it's a really good result and it feels like a podium for me. It was a really 🅺good race.

"We don’t know when t🅰﷽he next race will be, but I'm already looking forward to it."

Gardner was fourth bu♛t 2.125s from victory at least year's Losail round, then claimed a debut podi🐻um next time in Argentina.