Comments (0) 1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1’38.507
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1’38.547
3. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1’38.632
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1’38.688
5. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1’38.868
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Scot Team (M) 1’39.171
7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1’39.202
8. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1’39.309
Repsol Honda RC212V rider Nicky Hayden heads into the Portuguese Grand Prix aiming to keep improving following the Spanish GP. Nicky Hayden took an excellent fourth-place finish after running with the leaders.
The Kentucky Kid spent two further days at Jerez testing components, tyres and setup options that should put him in even better shape at Estoril.Nicky Hayden set the fastest lap of the tests while evaluating Michelin rear tyres and some new clutch parts for smoother corner entries.
Estoril is a complex and tricky circuit with some dramatic contrasts – the chicane is MotoGP’s slowest corner and the kink onto the back straight is one of the fastest. Riders need a well-balanced machine that is manageable in slower turns and stable in the fast sweepers, with good top speed for the 320km/h-199mph main straight and excellent braking stability.
Nicky Hayden is the current Estoril lap record holder and also took pole position at last year’s event. Honda has won five of the eight premier-class GPs staged at the track since 2002.
Nicky Hayden
