Rossi and Hayden boosted by Ducati GP12 shakedown

Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden have both spoken of their excitement and anticipation for 2012 having recently completed a shakedown test on Ducati’s new 1000cc machine in Jerez.

Rossi and Hayden both tested the new GP12 after the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month and elaborated on the shakedown on the eve of this weekend’s Estoril round in Portugal.

Nine-times world champion Rossi said he had been impressed with the engine performance of the GP12.

The 32-year-old said: “I like a lot the 1000cc engine. It is a bit of a return to the past and it has great horsepower from the bottom and I like a lot the bike. From the point of view of the chassis it is very similar to the GP11 so the behaviour of the bike is also very similar. But the priority of the test was to understand the engine.”

Hayden too said he had been impressed with the performance of Ducati’s 800cc replacement.

The 2006 world champion told MCN: “I enjoyed it. It was great to be able to get out on it. I think Ducati did a nice job. We tested that bike three days, I was there every day and we had no real problems.”

“It wasn’t like it was a prototype shakedown. They came ready to ride it. I only did one day and I didn’t catch much of a break with the weather. I really only got the afternoon of the last day, but I enjoyed it.”

“It’s hard just be out riding by yourself and until we know what we’re up against, we don’t really know. But we got to start somewhere and I think we got a good point. The engine had good connection with the throttle and there is a bit more there to play with for sure. I had a bit more wheelie off some of the corners.”

Although the 1000cc motor has more horsepower, Hayden said it was much tamer compared to the 990cc Honda RC211V he won the world title on in 2006.

He added: “I would say it’s calmed down a bit for sure. But definitely there’s some more torque. Jerez is such a small little track you never got to really see how it would feel on top with the top speed.”

“By the time it got ready to stretch its legs, it was already time to shut her down. Those straight are really short. So it would be interesting when you try it somewhere with quick top speed.”