MotoGP: Hayden ‘feeling good’ in the wet

Nicky Hayden has admitted that he’s feeling good in wet conditions on the Repsol Honda, and that rain would make life a lot easier for him tomorrow in the Australian Grand Prix as he deputises for the injured Dani Pedrosa on the bike he won the 2006 world championship on.

Struggling like everyone else to get track time in the dry as torrential rain continues to hit Phillip Island, the Honda World Superbike rider says that rain would give him a chance to fight tomorrow.

“In the rain, we’ll see what happens. The bike feels really good in the wet, and gives me a lot of confidence. I don’t really have excuses in the rain either, because I’ve made quite a few laps in the rain this weekend. I know what to expect from the set-up in the wet too, whereas in the dry I haven’t got an idea – I used the intermediate front tyre for qualifying!

However, he’s a lot less optimistic about his chances if the weather swings the other way and the race turns out to be dry – a scenario that’s looking 50/50 from the forecast.

“For sure no one’s had a lot of set-up time in the dry, and I would have liked to have some more time. It’s a brand new bike and my set-up is completely different from when I rode in Aragon – I’m starting more with Dani’s set-up than Jack Miller’s. With this team and this bike, it would do better to have more time in the dry.

“I’ve been to enough races to know that you can’t change the weather though – it’ll be what it’ll be. But that’s the beauty of racing – you never know what to expect. The weather this weekend has been horrendous, and I’m glad I’m not out there in a tent!”

 

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