Gareth Jones
Gareth Jones, born on February 24, 1987 in Sydney, Australia, is a former Australian professional motorcycle racer who specialized in Superbike racing and later worked as a test rider and motorsport journalist. With race number 87, he began his career in the mi-bike Insurance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) and quickly expanded internationally to New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Germany. Jones was known for his aggressiveness and consistency, despite injuries such as a broken wrist in 2009, which he ignored during the season. He rode for teams such as MIST Suzuki, Wilbers BMW, and BMW Motorrad, tested tires for Dunlop, and made his FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) debut in 2015 with Team Penz13.com. After retiring from full-time racing in 2014/2015, he devoted himself to journalism and has hosted the podcast “Gareth Jones on Speed,” where he discusses cars and motorcycles, for over 20 years. Jones now lives between the Netherlands and the Gold Coast (Australia), is married, and is active in the community. His motto: “Ride hard” – a principle he also applied in adventure rallies like the 2023 Dakar (as a spectator/participant? Wait, that’s another Gareth), but his primary role remains motorsport commentary.
Important racing successes
Jones’ career spans over 100 races in national and international series, with a focus on Superstock and Superbike. Here’s a non-exhaustive overview of the milestones:
| Year | Championship / Event | Success | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | New Zealand Superbike Championship | champion | Dominant title win; multiple victories in the season. |
| 2008 | FIM Europe Superstock 1000 Cup (WSBK Support) | 17th overall, 3rd rookie | 10 races, regular top-10 finishes; debut in Europe. |
| 2009 | Dutch Superbike Championship | champion | Title with victories on multiple courses; despite a broken wrist. |
| 2009 | IDM Superbike (German Superbike) | Top 10 fight | 4 wildcard races; P6 and P8 in Assen. |
| 2010 | IDM Superbike | Top 5 contenders | Strong season with Wilber’s BMW; multiple podiums. |
| 2013 | IDM Superbike | Top 3 proximity | P4 and P3 in Hockenheim; finally P5 in the championship. |
| 2014 | ASBK Superbike | Consistent top 10 | Racing with BMW; focus on European preparation. |
| 2015 | FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) – 24 Hours of Le Mans | 7. Total | Debut with Penz13 BMW; pole qualifying, but race problems (see below). |
| 2009–2014 | Various (ASBK, NZ, Dutch, IDM) | Multiple wins/podiums | Over 20 race wins in total; known for strength at tracks like Assen and Hockenheim. |
Notes on success: Jones won two national Superbike titles (NZ 2008, Dutch 2009) and established himself as a top Aussie in Europe. In the ASBK, he was consistent but never champion—his focus was on international opportunities. After 2015, he reduced his racing in favor of testing work with Dunlop and the media.
Contract with Penz13 (EWC) and races during this time
Gareth Jones signed a single-season contract with BMW Motorrad France Team Penz13.com in 2015 for the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC). The Austrian-French team, which won the 2012 Superstock Endurance title, was looking for an experienced Superbike rider to complement Markus Reiterberger (Germany) and Pedro Vallcaneras (Spain). Jones replaced the injured or absent rider (reportedly the original third-place finisher) and brought his sprint expertise to the endurance discipline. The contract covered the full EWC season, but due to scheduling conflicts and team decisions, Jones only participated in one race: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This was his only EWC event; further starts (e.g., Bol d’Or) were canceled, as Jones prioritized ASBK/IDM.
Racing with Penz13 (2015):
- 24 Hours of Le Mans (April 18–19, 2015): The team qualified in third place (average time 1:38.717; Jones contributed with strong laps, including wet sessions). In the race, the trio led at times but suffered from tire wear and technical issues (e.g., electronic problems). They finished 7th overall (and in the EWC class), with 816 laps (approximately 24:03 hours). Jones split the stints evenly, posting the 17th fastest race lap (1:38.736). This was a solid debut for the new BMW S 1000 RR in the EWC and cemented Jones’ reputation as a versatile rider.
The collaboration was short but successful – Penz13 praised Jones’ professionalism. He then returned to sprint racing; no renewal for 2016.