Remy Gardner may hold a 36-point advantage at the midway stage of the Moto2 World Championship, meaning he has over one race in hand, but th🐽e Red Bull Ajo rider is taking nothing for granted.

Seeking to become the first Australian since Kel Carruthers in 1969 to win the intermediate class title, Gardner says his present goal is simply to remain in title contention𒀰 going into the Valencia finale on ꦓNovember 14.

“To keep up the work and the results that we have sꦛhown so far, to repeat what we have done in the first part of the season," Gardner said of his goals for the remainder of the season.

"It will be important not to make mistakes and alwayꦗs score points. The idea is to get to Valencia fighting for the ch❀ampionship."

After maki𒈔ng his world championship debut in the Moto3 class back in 2014, it proved to be a long hard slog rather than a sprint up the grand prix ladder.

Gardner's efforts were finally rewarded with a breakthrough Moto2 podium in 2019, followed by four rostrums and a debut viꦏctory last season.

But those results were eclipsed within half-a-dozen races at Aki Ajo's team, Gardner entering the summer break with eight podium🎀s, including three wins, from the ꦯnine rounds.

Gardner's nearest rival is rookie team-mate Raul Fernandez, whose stats (six podiums, three wins) are not far from the Australian, inc👍luding four pole positions in the last five races.

Crucially, Fernandez fell while trying to stick with Gardner in Germany, a mistake th✨at opened up the current 'br🐠eathing room' for the 23-year-old at the head of the standings.

Nonetheless, perhaps tactfully, it was Gardner's victory at the previous Barcelona round that he rꦉates as the best moment so far.

“If I had to pick just one moment♔, I would go for the victory in Barcelona," he said. "I really liked the race w🧸e had and, as I live close by, that day I was able to celebrate the win with some friends."

Fernandez's Sachsenring fall broke a run of what would otherwise have been five suc🦹cessive 1-2 race finishes for the Ajo team, which has already scored over double the teams' world championship♐ points of next best VR46.

“Aki [Ajo] knows how to get the most out of🔯 each rider," said Gardner. "The way the team works is fantastic, and it i💜s very efficient and organised."

And rather than being concerned by the strong challen༒ge posed by Fernandez, Gardner rates it as a key factor in his own rising form.

“It's positive to have that, so you can learn from him,"ౠ Gardner said of having such a fast team-mate. "That is why th꧋e team are so strong this year, because we have acquired new knowledge about each other and the style that each rider has.

"That takes our level up mor🐓e and more, which is very good for us."

The Spaniard's recent qualifying pace also♍ hasn't gone unnoticed by Gardner.

“I would like to improve my showings in qualifying. That doesn't mean that we have been doing it wrong up to🌟 now, but Raul is used to going a couple of tenths faster than us," he said.

"In the second half of the season, we wilꩵl work to strengthen our cornering a little on our hot lap."

Having already inked a deal to race for Tech3 KTM in MotoGP next season, thus returning the Gardner name to the premier-class for theﷺ first time since father Wayne retired in 1992, Remy now plans to spend his final summer break as a Moto2 rider enjoying some fishing, wakeboarding and spending time "working on the cars that I'm restoring.

"When I return, I w𒁏ill train hard to prepare fo𒁃r the two races in Austria, which will be very important for us."

The fir♔st of the Austrian rounds, KTM's home events, tak𒆙es place on August 6-8.