There is an estimated total of 5′4 million Watt consumption for the lighting on the Losail Circuit, enough to light an imaginary road between Doha and Moscow.

During the first MotoGP free session, Repsol Honda Team Rider Nicky Hayden had been provided at his box with a 2007 version of the Honda RC212V and another 2008 version. The aim of the team was to compare the performance of the two bikes during these first two free training sessions, in order to speed up development of the 2008 version.

Nicky Hayden started out on the track with the Honda RC212V 2008, with which he ran most of the session, running his best time on the fourth lap. The American has completed 17 laps on the 2008 version and 6 on the 2007 one. Nicky Hayden also rode both bikes throughout the second session, completing 24 laps on the Qatar track.

Nicky Hayden - 1’57.069 secs, 46 laps, 247 km.

“It wasn’t spectacular in any way, but we knew that coming here wasn’t going to be easy, because we had a lot of problems during the training sessions we had last week. Tonight we tried out some totally different adjustments, so we’ll definitely have to sit down and make a decision upon which bike to use, in order to make some big progress tomorrow.

Until now, last year’s bike brakes better and has better stability changing direction, though the times are very similar. I would say that the conditions on the track were better today than during the tests; I expected it to be dirtier, but it was fine. The tyres are no excuse and they performed well. I expected to improve during my last lap and I was pushing hard, but went off the track at a very fast point. I went straight off a curve into the gravel, but I didn’t fall, so I’m alright.”