Nicky Hayden frustrated at Ducati upgrade snub

Nicky Hayden could not disguise his frustration at being denied the chance to test and race an upgraded factory Desmosedici GP13 for the last five races of his Ducati MotoGP career.

The American arrived in Misano last week fully expecting to jump on the same spec bike that Italian teammate Andrea Dovizioso has been recently racing.

The revised GP13 package features a new chassis but Hayden was dealt a blow last Thursday when Ducati management informed him the bike would not be available for today’s one-day IRTA test at the San Marino venue.

The bike will also not be at the 2006 world champion’s disposal for the remaining five races of 2013 and it was clear that snub had angered Hayden, who said it was a ‘touchy’ topic after he finished in a bitterly disappointing ninth place in the 28-lap race.

Ducati said there simply isn’t enough material to build up new bikes for the popular Kentucky rider and many felt that was a harsh snub, particularly given Hayden’s long and loyal service to the Bologna brand.

Hayden has struggled to make any major impact in his five-year spell with Ducati, but despite a disastrous recent history with the struggling Desmosedici, Hayden has never publicly slated the Italian factory.

The 32-year-old, who is hotly-tipped to move to Aspar Aprilia for 2014, said: “It is a bit frustrating because all along I was supposed to test the new bike but now that is not happening. There is nothing to test for me with this bike. I don’t know what is left to try on this bike.

They say they don’t have the material but it is a little bit touchy because all the time I was led to believe I would be testing it and I found out on Thursday they don’t have the parts. Dovi has switched and it hasn’t made a big difference but I am won’t be trying it or at all this season. I’d ridden the first version of the new bike and I wasn’t completely happy with it but it seems like with the latest one they have made a step with it.

When Dovi tested it here a couple of months he felt it was better. As I am struggling at the moment I would love to try something but they don’t have the parts and it is not going to happen. We are not convinced it is a whole lot better but I would have liked to try it.”

For more from the Misano MotoGP race and coverage from the Istanbul Park WSB clash, see the September 18 issue of MCN.