MotoGP: Honda electronics can improve says Nicky Hayden

American Nicky Hayden believes Honda can still improve its sophisticated electronics system in 2008, despite significant winter developments.

Hayden got his new season up and running with fourth place in last month’s Spanish GP, and heads into this weekend’s Estoril clash in Portugal knowing he gets to test Honda’s new pneumatic valve motor again after the race.

The 2006 world champion is hoping the new engine will be competitive enough to roll out for the China GP in Shanghai in early May, but he also reckons the electronics on his factory RC212V can be improved.

Rider aids are becoming more and more important in modern day MotoGP, and Hayden said: “We see now that electronics are getting more and more advanced for the rain and fuel consumption it can aid a lot.

“How you manage fuel consumption now is really important.

“That’s really what holds speed back now. If we could turn the fuel consumption off it would be scary.

“Not scary but it would be good.

“Electronics aid that for what part of the race it is leaner.

“We have taken a little step this year but so has everybody else and I think we can still improve.”