MotoGP: Hayden looks for third consecutive podium

Repsol Honda man keen to continue form as the MotoGP series moves to Malaysia

Posted: 10 October 2008
by Visordown News

NICK HAYDEN is looking for his third consecutive podium when the MotoGP circus arrives in Malaysia for the penultimate round of the championship next weekend.

Hayden scored his second podium of the year with a rousing ride to third place in the Australian Grand Prix on October 5, while Pedrosa took a hard-fought third in last month’s Japanese Grand Prix. Hayden has hit a rich vein of form recently, his Phillip Island podium following a brave ride to second place at the hurricane-hit Indianapolis GP. Hayden said:

“The last few races have been a lot of fun and made me pretty happy. We need more, but it’s nice to be competitive. I owe a big thanks to everyone involved – Honda, Michelin and all the guys from Yamano [Repsol Honda team manager] all the way through, because it would have been real easy to fold up on me, but the easy way is just not our style. Just need to keep it rolling! No one can say they say they don’t know Sepang, it seems like we spend half the year there. Last year we did three tests and a race there, so the nearby airport hotel is like your second home. We spend about four weeks a year there, so you walk in and it’s scary because the people know you! Sepang is a great track. I like it, our bike has been running good, and you need a bike that’s running fast there. The track has got a little bit of everything: some hard braking, some pretty quick corners like turns five and six. I think that’s why we test there so much, you can’t fake it there because both the bike and the rider have got to be able to do everything pretty good.”


Previous article
Seeley and McWilliams take NW200 wins		 Next article
MotoGP: Vermeulen slates singles tyre ruling


MotoGP: Hayden looks for third consecutive podium
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookDiggRedditGoogle


Discuss this story


Gixxerlee.
I'm sure he really means that,' I owe a big thanks to everyone involved - Honda, Michelin'.He'll be saying he's going to miss Pedrosa next

Posted: 11/10/2008 at 09:49


2ptjoe

i like the old boy

i like him evem more when he beats Pedrosa


Posted: 11/10/2008 at 09:59


Gixxerlee.
Yeah i like him to but do you think he really means it?

Posted: 11/10/2008 at 11:29


03zzr1200
Hayden is a true gentleman, he means what he says concerning his team and is being polite with regard to Honda......especially after what Puig said about him. Puig only thiks he is somebody...he only ever won 1 race, who is he to talk about anyone.

Posted: 12/10/2008 at 02:08


mrdrink
hmmmm not 100% true. he is a real nice guy but during the past month or so he has had more than a few sly digs at honda and Puig/Dani in interviews. At least Puig laid it on the table and said what he thought, right or wrong.







Posted: 12/10/2008 at 08:24


BERNIE

IMO: It's not a common trait to say the least but Nicky just appears to be a genuine and honest man. I can't say that he's been anything other than fair in his comments whatever the situation. He didn't throw a huge wobbly when Danni brought him down in his championship year. As I recall  he just suggested that now they had to get on with the winning the title and I couldn't help but imagine how different the reaction would have been if it had been Valentino in the same position.

I don't believe that Nicky has the ultimate style to challenge Valentino but I think his style may well suit the Ducati and as Casey has shown when rider and Ducati are suited it's a pretty formidable package. Hopefully we'll see more close quarter racing at the sharp end next year and even more hopefully a certain Mr Toseland will not be far away from joining in the fun. 


Posted: 13/10/2008 at 23:48


Ilike2thinkso

Honda was always about Pedrosa, even when Hayden won the title. Yet the man carried on in a very dignified manner.

If he was to have a dig I reckon he would be fully entitled too, just can't see it.

Agree with above posy Nicky and JT going for it and mixing it with Rossi would make very good viewing!!


Posted: 13/10/2008 at 23:54


iBurty

I'm going to come clean and say that I've never rated Hayden.  He came into MotoGP onto what was generally considered to be the best bike at the time, and his performance has been reliably mediocre ever since.  Even when he won the title he did it by being consistently average. 

It's all very well saying that the Honda team has been built around Pedrosa, but next year he's going to be in a similar boat with Ducati surely?  Given that Stoner is effectively the only rider to manage to get the Ducati to work effectively, and other riders have failed pretty conclusively, then I reckon that Hayden really has his work cut out to do well against his team-mate next year.  If he can get up the sharp end any time next year, he will have done well in my book.


Posted: 14/10/2008 at 09:34

Talkback: MotoGP: Hayden looks for third consecutive podium