Nicky’s Aussie GP was a bit of a non-event, but here’s what he had to say anyway-
Nicky Hayden – (Ducati MotoGp Team) (15th)
“I got probably the best start I have had all season but unfortunately it proved to be my downfall! I’m not sure what happened to Jorge – I saw he got a bad start as I passed him, then the next thing I know I felt a really hard impact. It was so hard it tore both our bikes up and obviously he couldn’t keep his upright. Thankfully I did and I got back on track but the thing was so damaged I was just riding around. I considered coming in to conserve the engine but there was always the chance it might rain and give us the opportunity to swap bikes so we stayed out there and tried to stay out of harm’s way.
I’m disappointed because I felt we had a chance to do something here and apart from anything I was excited to race here because it’s always so much fun. Anyway, I can’t blame Jorge because he is fighting for the championship, he obviously didn’t mean it and I know it is not his style.
The good thing is that I didn’t get hurt, which could have easily happened in that corner, and now we go to Malaysia and try to get back in the thick end of the points.”
Nicky’s Australian Grand Prix was over before it began after Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo nudged Hayden’s Ducati in the run to the first corner of the Phillip Island track, forcing the Kentucky Kid to run wide and miss the turn, rejoining the race way down in 15th after a lengthy trek across the gravel.
He ended up coasting his bike home to take 15th position, and one point, to hold on to 14th in the championship. Hayden has been taken out in the first corner too many times this year, and we’re hoping he has relatively easy starts for the next two grands prix!
Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Total time Km/h Gap
1 25 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 40′56.651 175.989
2 20 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 40′58.586 175.851 1.935
3 16 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 41′19.269 174.384 22.618
4 13 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 41′29.353 173.677 32.702
5 11 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 41′32.536 173.456 35.885
6 10 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 41′35.133 173.275 38.482
7 9 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 41′41.112 172.861 44.461
8 8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 41′41.592 172.828 44.941
9 7 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 41′50.996 172.180 54.345
10 6 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 41′57.856 171.711 1′01.205
11 5 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 42′02.068 171.425 1′05.417
12 4 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 42′02.601 171.388 1′05.950
13 3 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 42′14.602 170.577 1′17.951
14 2 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 42′14.636 170.575 1′17.985
15 1 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 41′27.127 167.395 1 Lap
Not finished 1st lap
99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha
Nicky will start from 7th on the grid for tomorrow’s race at Phillip Island
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1′30.341 322.404
2 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1′30.391 316.749 0.050
3 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1′31.070 318.705 0.729
4 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1′31.071 316.379 0.730
5 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1′31.096 316.379 0.755
6 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1′31.260 321.161 0.919
7 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1′31.325 318.799 0.984
8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1′31.380 315.642 1.039
9 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1′31.384 323.173 1.043
10 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1′31.472 318.799 1.131
11 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1′31.640 324.043 1.299
12 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1′31.722 317.213 1.381
13 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1′31.873 315.274 1.532
14 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1′32.190 318.799 1.849
15 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1′32.338 313.632 1.997
16 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1′32.752 313.723 2.411
Not classified
88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati Lap
Nicky finished 10th in the second session at Phillip Island
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1′30.626 326.189
2 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1′30.674 322.692 0.048
3 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1′30.901 321.352 0.275
4 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1′31.427 320.118 0.801
5 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1′31.707 322.788 1.081
6 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1′31.969 317.213 1.343
7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1′32.176 323.076 1.550
8 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1′32.185 322.884 1.559
9 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1′32.303 318.612 1.677
10 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1′32.403 317.398 1.777
11 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1′32.443 317.771 1.817
12 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1′32.905 316.564 2.279
13 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1′33.017 315.091 2.391
14 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1′33.261 316.656 2.635
15 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1′33.471 318.893 2.845
16 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1′33.591 313.904 2.965
Not classified
88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati Lap
Nicky ended the first day of Phillip Island proceedings in 11th place.
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1′31.032 317.491
2 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1′31.167 323.462 0.135
3 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1′31.528 317.584 0.496
4 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1′31.786 322.116 0.754
5 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1′31.846 315.918 0.814
6 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1′32.077 314.086 1.045
7 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1′32.255 315.458 1.223
8 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1′32.502 319.269 1.470
9 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1′32.572 322.308 1.540
10 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1′32.606 315.366 1.574
11 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1′32.771 316.471 1.739
12 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1′32.808 316.749 1.776
13 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1′33.304 320.591 2.272
14 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1′33.422 315.642 2.390
15 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1′33.504 311.200 2.472
16 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1′33.818 309.423 2.786
17 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 1′34.546 313.995 3.514
