Misano MotoGP: Front tyre issue hampers Nicky Hayden

A front tyre issue has left Nicky Hayden facing a tough Misano GP tomorrow after he could only qualify down in a lowly 16th place.

Returning from the heel injury that forced him to withdraw from the recent Czech Republic GP in Brno, Hayden was 2.206s off pole and only factory Kawasaki duo John Hopkins and Anthony West were slower.

The American said: “Things haven’t gone perfectly smooth here, I’m having a few issues with the front. I was pushing the front quite a lot yesterday, then I crashed and today it’s still pushing.

“When we put in qualifying tyres it just exaggerated the problem, so I’ve been struggling to find a front tyre I like, though the rear seems to be working pretty good here.

“Obviously I don’t have a very good starting spot and at 28 laps it’s going to be a long race. We’re going to try a few more ideas in morning warm-up, try to get a good start and try to salvage some kind of result.

“The heel is okay, not perfect, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”