MotoGP Jerez test: Nicky Hayden fastest in Spain

Former world champion Nicky Hayden has finished the three-day weather disrupted IRTA test with the fastest time.

The American clocked a fastest time of 1.38.848 using a Michelin qualifying tyre today to beat Yamaha rookie Jorge Lorenzo by 0.404s.

• Get all the latest from the Jerez test here

Hayden’s time on the Repsol Honda RC212V bettered his best lap from the opening day by 0.4s and the Kentucky rider said: “It’s definitely been a really positive and productive three days.

“We had high hopes coming here because when we tested here in November the bike worked pretty good and Michelin tyres normally work good at Jerez, so this is a good track for us, also there’s no big long straightaways.

“The wind here has made it tough, the conditions haven’t been easy, but I do feel more comfortable on this year’s bike in the wind. The team really worked hard and made some good moves and good decisions.

“We didn’t make a lot of big changes, we just got closer to race settings, tried a couple of qualifiers and did a 25 lap run. The chassis seems to be working good and also the tyres are working good.

“We tried a few different tyre options, and we’re still checking data between the 16 and 16.5 rears. But the show hasn’t started yet, we’ll find out what everybody’s really got and what we’re in for when we get to Qatar but we leave here pretty happy.

“At the Qatar tests we’ll see how it is under the lights and dial everything in for the first race.”