Catalunya MotoGP: Nicky Hayden gets massive confidence boost

The beaming smile on Nicky Hayden’s face was the clearest sign that the American made a massive breakthrough in his quest to master Ducati’s factory GP9 machine in Spain today.

Having struggled and toiled woefully off the pace for the majority of 2009, Hayden rode a radically revised set-up on his GP9 to a morale-boosting sixth place in Catalunya today.

A best lap of 1.44.152 left him only 1.114s off Valentino Rossi’s best time and he was only 0.5s away from Aussie team-mate Casey Stoner in third.

It was a huge step forward for the Kentucky rider, who has yet to claim a better finish than 12th in a disastrous opening five races for Ducati.

Hayden’s motivation and resolve has never waned though and he immediately felt much more comfortable on a GP9 that featured huge changes to the bike he’s been riding so far.

Tested intensively by development rider Vittoriano Guareschi in Mugello last week, the 2006 world champion told MCN: “It was quite a lot more fun. Running around in the back isn’t any fun at all I can tell you. So it’s not great, but we were in sixth.

“I’m competitive and I enjoyed riding the bike and hopefully we’re on to something here and can be the beginning. We changed everything but the grips on it as far as the bike goes.

“Riding-wise I just feel that it’s more comfortable and I can push harder. When I’m fast on this bike, it’s not easy, because if it was easier you’d go faster. But the faster you go the more comfortable you are and feels like the more you risk your life you go quicker.

“I mean, you can be three seconds off the pace and it just feels like it’s not possible to find another tenth.”

Hayden said he would not let today’s confidence-inspiring display let him get carried away, but he admitted his vastly improved performance had been a huge relief.

“It was a relief because we trust a lot in Vito and some of the last couple of things he had tried wasn’t a big help for me. So I had joked saying the only rider’s got more pressure than on me is Vito.

“I wanted to hug because everything he said, and I even I talked to him this week on the phone after he tested was right on cue with everything. But I don’t want to get too carried away.

“We’re not completely out of it, but hopefully we’re on to something. I enjoyed it today. The bike was turning better and that as probably the big thing.

“Sure it was pumping a lot less, but I could turn the bike now and when it would start pumping I had it picked up and wasn’t on the very side of the tyre trying to get it turned and get the throttle open.”