Indy MotoGP: Nicky Hayden hopeful on damaged wrist

Nicky Hayden is confident his damaged left wrist won’t seriously hinder his bid for a third successive podium finish in Sunday’s Indianapolis MotoGP race.

The Kentucky rider chipped a bone in his wrist during a heavy qualifying crash for the recent Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno.

Although not completely recovered, Hayden is confident his wrist will be less painful than when he claimed a brave sixth place in Brno less than a fortnight ago.

Hayden, whose new factory Ducati contract will be confirmed during his home race this weekend, said: “I’ve had about ten days and bones don’t heal up 100 percent in ten days, so us riders we think they can sometimes and they should.

“But it’s certainly a lot better than it was in Brno and this track doesn’t have the hard braking it had there. I really don’t expect big, big problems with it. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

The 2006 world champion has undergone treatment in America since he finished in a brave sixth place in Brno and he added: “I did an X-ray and scan because I have a screw in my left wrist too in the scaphoid area where they were worried because at the Clinica, they say needs a couple days before it can really show up.

“I went home to my doctor, and another doctor checked it over. I’ve had normal therapy stuff and ultrasounds and things like that. I’ll maybe get another X-ray in a week or two and see if it’s still healing, but I don’t expect to have surgery or nothing like that.”

Hayden said he had managed to ride a bike briefly at his Owensboro home to check on the strength in his wrist and he said: “I rode a little bit a couple days going at my house, me and my dad.

“Actually I felt okay. It’s not just great, and I didn’t push it. But this is my home race so I’m not going to get caught up thinking about it too much. Braking on one of these things is a little different than riding up your driveway but it will be all right.”

Hayden’s only podium finish for Ducati came at Indianapolis last season when he was third. His best ever 800cc finish also came at the world famous motorsport venue in 2008 when he finished second on a factory Honda.