MotoGP: Gardner arrested at Japanese Grand Prix

1987 500GP world champion Wayne Gardner has been arrested after a scuffle just before Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. The Australian was involved in an argument with the occupant of a car allegedly hit by another car driven by Gardner’s son, Moto2 racer Remy.

The 57-year-old was arrested on assault charges by local police, and is being held in police custody in Japan. He denies the charges, saying that he was only trying to disengage himself from one of the men who had grabbed his body, the Yomiuri Shimbun Daily reported.

The younger Gardner missed Sunday’s warm-up session for the race while giving a police statement, and local police have not revealed whether he has been released to travel to Australia for his home round of the championship this weekend.

Gardner has been supporting his son this season in his second season in Grand Prix racing, but it has been a difficult year for the 18-year-old, only scoring points twice on the Tasca Racing Kalex.