Takahashi takes Hayden out of Japanese GP
Comments (0) Nicky Hayden’s desperately unlucky start to the season continued when he was clumsily knocked out of the race on the opening lap by home rookie Yuki Takahashi. The American suffered another heavy blow to the back injury he suffered in Qatar but luckily he escaped without any further damage.
NICKY HAYDEN – (Ducati Marlboro Team) DNF
“That was exactly what we didn’t need. I got a decent start and I think I was up a couple of positions but just going down into the hairpin, which is a slow hard-braking corner, I was on my line and Takahashi just took me down. There was no warning – I didn’t even hear anything!
I don’t want to say much about that, I don’t want to look like a cry-baby but, you know, it was the first lap… luckily I feel okay. I actually landed in the same place on my back as the crash in Qatar and my leathers and helmet have got exactly the same marks.
Just two weeks on from the postponement of the opening round of the MotoGP World Championship in Qatar due to rain, the series was hit by another freak weather setback in Japan as a torrential downpour led to the cancellation of this afternoon’s qualifying practice.
The MotoGP World Championship has arrived in Japan much earlier than usual, with the Motegi circuit hosting the second round of the season as opposed to one of the decisive later races, and the springtime temperatures provided the teams and riders with a fresh challenge – figuratively and literally speaking – out on the track, and with 45 minutes available in today’s first free practice session, Ducati Marlboro pair Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden had to work quickly on the set-up of their Desmosedici machines.