The Wayne Gardner Story

A new film, Wayne: The Wayne Gardner Story, highlights the remarkable career of Australian motorcycle champion Wayne Gardner – the ‘Wollongong Whizzkid’ – who went from a small child riding around his hometown on a five-dollar dirt bike to become the 1987 World Motorcycle Grand Prix Champion, lauded around the world and a national icon in his home country.

As a young rider, Wayne quickly excelled in local motorcycle racing, where he caught the attention of Mamoru Moriwaki, a Japanese team boss and engineer of almost mythical status. Wayne accepted Moriwaki’s invitation to race in England and beyond and, against all odds, he won his first race and permanently stamped his name on international motorcycle racing.

But, in the sophisticated world of Grand Prix, Wayne was brash, unpolished and impulsive. He clashed with riders who were more calculated and refined than the fish-out-of-water Australian who desperately missed his girlfriend, the cornerstone to his success. When 17-year-old Donna Forbes joined him on the race circuit, it was the best thing that could have happened to the young Wayne – who was then able to keep his head in the right place and quickly climb the ranks.

Featuring extensive archive footage and interviews with Wayne, Donna, family, friends and rivals, this engaging documentary gives a unique insight into the highs and lows of Gardner’s quest for motorbike glory.

It’s available on all major digital streaming platforms (that’s the likes of Amazon Prime and Netflix) from June 7.