Nicky Hayden admits practice reduction worry

Nicky Hayden has admitted concerns that the big reduction in testing and practice time will hinder his hopes of adapting to Ducati‘s factory GP9 quicker.

The American made big progress ahead of his maiden campaign with the Bologna factory in Qatar last week when he clocked the fifth best time.

The 2006 MotoGP world champion was only 0.2s slower than Valentino Rossi as he evaluated a new carbon fibre swingarm for the first time.

Hayden though fears the complete ban on Grand Prix riders testing during the season and the cutting of nearly two hours of practice at races will hinder the Kentucky rider.

Hayden told MCN: “If somebody has been on the same bike with the same tyres in the same team for a while now then they’ll have an advantage. It is not clicking for me overnight on this bike, so more time would certainly help me in testing and during practice, now they have cut the weekend time too. But that’s the rules and I’ve got to get on with it. It is certainly not going to help me though.”