Video: Nicky Hayden boosted by single tyre rule

Nicky Hayden believes the controversial move to a single tyre rule in MotoGP will be a major boost to helping him make a successful transition to Ducati’s GP9 machine.

With only two front and two rear tyre specs to test each day, the restrictions have given the American more time to focus on adapting to riding Ducati’s V4 contender.

Hayden said: “The new tyre rule has helped me a lot as far as switching bikes and everything. The one thing that hasn’t been an issue is the tyres.

“There’s really only been two tyres—soft and medium—so you just work on riding the bike, the suspension and electronics.

“You really need to be at race pace to understand that and get what you want, so this year I’m quite lucky with the tyre rule, especially being that we don’t have as much testing as we did, and a lot of the tests being two days.

“If you’re trying to learn the tyres and the bike and everything else as well, it would be a bigger challenge.”