World Superbikes commentator Johnathon Green caught up with Nicky at Monza, where Hayden was supporting his younger brother Roger.
Nicky recorded a video message about his race in Qatar (thanks to his sister!) for the Ducati website, where he talks about getting the season off to a flying start and the presence of so many Ducati fans around the globe!
Click here to watch Nicky’s interview with MotoGP.com after testing.
Despite still feeling the slight after effects of arm surgery from two weeks ago, Nicky Hayden made impressive progress on the Desmosedici GP10 of the Ducati Marlboro team at the Sepang test.
Not entirely happy with how things went on the opening day, Friday was a far more satisfying session for Hayden as he set a time of 2’00.703 – the third fastest of the test as the new engine in his GP10 prototype showed its competitiveness.
“I am obviously really happy because the changes we made yesterday afternoon that enabled me to go a couple of tenths faster despite the heat have proved to work even better today with the track in improved condition,” said Hayden. “After making small steps for the last few test sessions today we have finally taken a big leap forward and I was able to ride fast.”
He added: “The arm wasn’t too bad but it still isn’t as strong as before, which I can feel more than anything in the hard braking, and it was hard work today. Anyway, I am recovering well and now we move on from Sepang feeling really happy.”
Hayden’s team-mate Casey Stoner was second on the timesheet behind Valentino Rossi, as both the Ducati machines came inside the top three times of the test.
Click here to watch Nicky’s interview at Wroom 2010
Ducati Marlboro rider Nicky Hayden is ready to build on the stronger second half of his season last year, as preparations for the 2010 campaign continue to gather pace.
The 2006 World Champion admitted that last year was a difficult one on the track, but a podium at Indianapolis and fifth-placed finishes in Malaysia and Valencia ended the season on an encouraging note.
“Last season was tougher than we’d hoped, but things don’t always go exactly as you planned,” he explained at Wrooom 2010 in Madonna di Campiglio. “We started the season with a couple of crashes and struggled for momentum, but I think we have to be positive about the progress we made with a lot of hard work from everybody. We were able to get on the podium at Indianapolis and then finished with two top fives in a row and made some big steps. We’re really excited for the new season, if we can pick up where we left off and keep trying to close that gap to the front.”
The Desmosedici GP10 which he will ride in the forthcoming campaign will be unveiled on Wednesday, and Hayden is optimistic about its prospects.
“We had a good test at Valencia. I like the bike and I think another off-season with the team will be a big help for me. We’re all working hard and will wait and see what happens,” said Hayden.
“What Casey did at the end of the year shows that our bike is very strong, and we’ve tried to improve it and the engine. This will certainly help us in 2010 to make it more consistent as the season goes on. We have a couple of different little tweaks to make but the bike is good. We have a strong package for 2010 and combined with some changes in the team there’s a lot of excitement about the season for me and everyone involved. There are some big changes but with changes come opportunities so we’ll see what it amounts to.”
DOB: July 30, 1981
Place: Owensboro, KY
Nicky Hayden is a former MotoGP and AMA Superbike champion who currently competes for Ducati in the MotoGP World Championship. A dirt tracker in his early years, Hayden slides his bike out of corners, making him one of the most spectacular riders to watch. Off track, the happy-go-lucky Kentuckian is a fan favourite across the globe. Read more...
| 17-19 Mar | Losail | Results |
