“You can’t really believe the atmosphere at Mugello until you feel it and I’m really looking forward to going back there. The fans love it and come ready for their one MotoGP race of the year, and we love riding there too.The track is about as good as it gets because it’s got a little bit of everything – elevation changes, a long straight which normally makes the race really close because drafting is so important, and there are a lot of fast changes of direction which are critical to a good lap. The surface is starting to get a little bit worn and bumpy so it’s definitely important to have the bike set up to soak up the bumps well. You also need a machine you can be really aggressive with in those changes of direction. I’ve heard they’ve made the track a little bit safer this year so that’s a good thing. The result in Le Mans was a disappointment but I told the team that one was down to me. So I need to make it up to the boys this weekend and try to get a good finish. I’m looking forward to Mugello we’ll see what we’ve got when we get there.”

Discuss the GP of Italy at our Nicky Hayden Forum