The first test session of the 2009 preseason ended today at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, with another day of intense work for the MotoGP teams and riders, who were able to take advantage of stable yet typically demanding conditions.
Nicky Hayden has made continual progress over the three days of the test and he was able to improve by another half second today, although he would have ideally liked to have been even faster. The American is determined to use the information gathered over the past three days to full effect in the next test, having already shown the team his famous dedication to the task. The lap times set by his own team-mate have given Hayden belief that there is a lot more to come from himself and his bike, giving him a crucial mix of confidence and motivation ahead of the new season.
The next appointment for the Ducati Marlboro Team is a test session from 1st to 3rd March at the Losail circuit in Qatar. Click here to read more
Repsol Honda RC212V rider Nicky Hayden enjoyed a thrilling battle for the final podium position at tropically hot Sepang this afternoon, finally finishing a close fourth. His team-mate Dani Pedrosa led the first ten laps and came home second.
Hayden fought long and hard for third place, sneaking ahead of rival Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V) on a couple of occasions and crossing the finishing line just three tenths behind the Italian. Today’s result continues a strong run of results from the American, with two podiums from the last four races. Honda machines featured well in today’s race, with four RC212Vs in the top five. Conditions were ultra tough, with ambient temperatures reaching 40 degrees.
Next weekend’s Valencia GP is the 18th and final race of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship.
Nicky Hayden, finished 4th, 6th in World Championship Click here to read more
1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B)
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B)
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M)
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M)
5. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B)
6. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B)
7. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B)
8. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) Click here to read more
Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden had a good shot at pole position this afternoon, ending the tricky wet-and-dry qualifying session a close fourth fastest, just two hundredths of a second off the front row.
Qualifying got underway on a soaking track following a monumental downpour that hit Sepang before lunchtime.
Riders started out on rain tyres, then swapped to slicks with about 20 minutes remaining. The session was frantic, with pole position changing constantly and riders trying to pack as many qualifying tyres as they could into the last few minutes when the track was at its driest, with damp patches here and there. Hayden’s final run might have got him on pole. He got the fastest time of the session in the first two splits but then ran out of front grip. There hadn’t been enough time for him to fit a new front qualifier for that final outing.
Tomorrow Hayden goes for his third podium from the last four races. The American finished second in last month’s Indianapolis GP and third in the Australian GP earlier this month.
Nicky Hayden, 4th fastest, 2′02.192 Click here to read more
1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 2′01.548
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 2′01.957
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 2′02.171
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 2′02.192
5. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 2′02.245
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 2′02.836
7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 2′02.953
8. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2′03.078 Click here to read more
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