Sepang MotoGP: Nicky Hayden ‘shocked’ at front row

Nicky Hayden admitted he was ‘shocked’ after he narrowly missed claiming a first MotoGP pole position since 2007 by one-tenth-of-a-second in Sepang today.

The factory Ducati was languishing down in 15th place after yesterday’s practice session but came close to scoring his first pole position since the Estoril round in the inaugural 800cc world championship campaign.

Hayden’s best time of 2.01.637 was just 0.100s behind world champion elect Jorge Lorenzo as he claimed only his second front row start of the season.

He’d qualified in third place for his home race in Indianapolis in late August but the 2006 world champion said: “I wouldn’t say I’m surprised to be on the front row and so close to pole, I’d say I’m shocked. Japan last week was a bit of a disaster and then yesterday we picked up where we left off and I struggled quite a bit. We made some changes this morning and went back closer to the bike I had here at the test in February and immediately I felt good. I wasn’t immediately able to put down a good lap time but the feeling was there and I told the team to leave the bike for the afternoon so I could try and find the time. I got in a good lap and felt really good. In the first three sections I was right there but I lose a lot on acceleration on the back straight, but I’m very happy to be on the front row and only a tenth from pole. Hopefully we can turn it into a result tomorrow when it counts. I don’t think I could have got any more out of myself of the bike.”