He was a professional motorcycle rider of enormous promise and talent who had his career disrupted by a personal struggle with drug abuse.
He had a career in the World Superbike Championship and raced in the 500cc World Championship, the class that was the forerunner to the current MotoGP.
The Go Show as he was nicknamed, Anthony Gobert was born on March 5, 1975. He was a successful motocross racer in his teen years with national class victories before he moved to road racing.
He won the Australian Superbike Championship over Marty Craggill and Mat Mladin in 1994 and gained a wild card entry for the Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island the same year. He took pole position, a win and a third place.
He raced fulltime in the championship for Muzzy Kawasaki in 1995, and finished 4th overall, after wins at Laguna Seca and Phillip Island and at the time, was youngest ever winner at 19-years-old. He was eighth in 1996, with three wins and three other podiums, after he missed much of the season with injury.
In 1998 and 1999, he competed in the AMA Superbike Championship on a Ducati and had a win as a WSBK wildcard at Laguna Seca. He returned to WSBK on a Bimota SB8R in 2000 and won a wet race at Phillip Island before the team folded, due to lack of finances. He finished the year in the British Superbike meetings with Team Virgin Mobile Yamaha.
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He reverted to the AMA championship with Yamaha in 2001 and spent two years in Superbikes and Supersports. A brief spell with Ducati followed before some racing in the Australian Superbikes. In early 2006 he raced at the Valencia Superbike World Championship round along with some rounds of Spain’s Superbike. For 2007 he returned to Australia Superbikes on a Kawasaki.
His Grand Prix career was brief. He went to the 500cc World Championship in 1997 with the Lucky Strike Suzuki but was dismissed mid-season after he failed a drug test. A 500cc one-off at Donington Park for Kenny Roberts’ KR3 Modenas Team followed in late 2000.
To his grieving family, friends and fans, Speedcafe expresses deepest condolences.
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