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.
You’ve probably already seen these floating around the internet, but here’s a few rather hilarious videos of Nicky and his brothers clowning around with Greg White from SpeedTV!
Click here to watch Nicky blow away the Ferrari drivers in the snow kart race.
The 20th edition of the Wrooom Press Ski Meeting concluded on Friday with two spectacular races on the frozen lake in Madonna di Campiglio.
The first race, in Panda 4×4 cars, was won by Felipe Massa and the Brazilian was joined on the podium by Ducati Marlboro MotoGP stars Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden, with Fernando Alonso crossing the line fourth ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella.
The second was a go-kart race dominated from start to finish by Hayden, who shared the podium champagne with Massa and Stoner, with Alonso unable to make the finish after crashing into the protective barriers.
The exhibition races were enjoyed by a huge crowd, who took the opportunity to show their support for the MotoGP and F1 stars as they went head-to-head in their machines, resplendent in the colours of each individual driver.
With the Wrooom event coming to a close, the Ducati Marlboro Team’s next appointment is a three-day test in preparation for the new season from 3-5 February in Malaysia.
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 |
