Anyway, back to Ducati
Going back to Brno, I'm still confused about what went on with the Ducatis.
All the talk of improvements has been about Rossi's bike, nothing was done to Hayden's (understandably if it is soon to be obsolete)
The new parts for the front end were brought for Brno so presumably were on the bike at the outset (see later comments about no new parts tried for the test) but FP1 was the usual story of Rossi / Hayden 2.5 and 2.7s off pace. Rossi improved by about 1.2s in FP2, Hayden a couple of tenths. FP3 was wet with both right on the pace.
Qualifying saw both struggling again in the first 45 minutes, almost 2 seconds down. With 10 minutes or so to go, Hayden first of all shot right up the timesheets knocking lumps off his time. It came from nowhere. Then Rossi immediately did the same putting him 6th and Hayden 7th (I think) Hayden was improving again on his next (and last) attempt but screwed it it running wide somewhere. Rossi had one last attempt, getting a tow behind Simo and ended 6th. Hayden would have been right behind had he not screwed it.
So, what I was wondering at the time, was where those times came from - from both. I assumed they had both used the really soft front to get them and still don't know if they did or not.
In the interviews afterwards Rossi never mentioned new parts but said they had found a good set up. Hayden just said they found something in the last 15 minutes. So, two completely different bikes, both off the pace, then with 10 - 15 minutes to go, both suddenly 'find something'. That's the bit I find confusing, purely out of curiosity (regardless of team or rider)
Up to this point no mention was made of new parts, other than Rossi saying they had some new electronics to try in the test aftrwards. Now it transpires that they had new parts on the front of the bike but, according to the above editorial, no new parts for the test (what happened to the electronics?) If Rossi had those parts fitted all weekend, they made no difference at all until that last 15 minutes. Hayden however, improved without new parts.... What was going on?
In the test afterwards, as mentioned, Rossi didn't try any new parts at all, so nothing more to conclude there. Hayden tried the new front end parts on the GP11.1 but only went 2 tenths faster than his qualifying time on the old bike.
Confused - yes.
Does it matter - not really, just confused.
Hayden or a Ducati mechanic, not sure exactly, let it slip that the new parts include new CF construction to the headstock to transmit more feedback to the rider. Not just a fork rearrangement.
Maybe they are getting somewhere.
