Uh-Oh Nicky

[Paul_E_D]

He's 2.5 seconds off the pace at the test in spain. This doesn't bode well. Marco was about that far off at most tests...

[butcher bergs]

Rut-ro.
Could have been an off day...

[Paul_E_D]

I'm really pulling for the guy. I've become a bigger fan of his since he decided to leave Honda. He really needed to stand up for himself. Now he needs to put up some results!

[butcher bergs]

Yeah...he seemed frustrated with that machine and/or the developers. Methinks his testing performance on the Duc may have been due to working out some bugs....maybe with the ergos?

I'm rootin' for Nicky only because I'm sick of hearing about Rossi.

[akira700]

He's 2.5 seconds off the pace at the test in spain. This doesn't bode well. Marco was about that far off at most tests...

Could be sand bagging. Too early to sound the alarms.
What happened to Stoner in this test?

[BMFR6]

Could be sand bagging. Too early to sound the alarms.
What happened to Stoner in this test?

agreed, too early to make a judgement call yet (although i doubt its sandbagging). new bike, new tires, new team and a new teamate, thats a lot to take in for two sessions and on top of that, from what i read they really only had 3 hours of "decent" test time. but like paul, i'm really pulling for him on the duc. i really think that bike is hit or miss, you can either adapt or just ask marco

stoner is out due to surgery. he's healing and able to start training, but its still early to be back on a bike.

[Paul_E_D]

Nobody sandbags. They need to be on race pace for any useful development work to take place.

[eboos]

I'm rootin' for Nicky only because I'm sick of hearing about Rossi.

I was rookin' for Rossi only because I didn't want to see Pedrosa with the number one plate. I really want to see Nicky prove himself.

[eboos]

Nobody sandbags.

Sure they do. That is part of the mental games that racers play. I think that Rossi talked about this in his book. I don't think these results are from sandbagging though. I think that he has a steep learning curve to overcome.

[OreoGaborio]

Yeah, Paul wouldn't know about mind games.... he didn't learn how to become a 125GP champion by reading Rossi's book... it wasn't out yet

[akira700]

ok maybe the wrong word.

He maybe just testing systems like TC and Engine Mapping
and playing with tires and bike geometry before he starts pushing all out.
He tends to not go all out at the outset anyway.

This from his website, he doesnt sound too concerned:

Nicky Hayden - 10th fastest - 1'42.098 (69 laps)

"It has been nice to get back on the bike and get on with the job in decent conditions. The new surface is perfect, the bumps have disappeared and the grip improved with every lap. They've done a great job here at Jerez. I'm quite happy with my feeling with the bike. The lap times came down with virtually every outing and that's positive, even though I'm still clearly a good way off the pace. We've got a lot of work ahead but the team is really close and we know that bike has the potential, so all we can do is keep working. Both tyre specs that we tried today worked well, although the softer one was obviously the preferable option in these temperatures. They've got no problem in terms of durability and I'm slowly starting to get used to the feeling the Bridgestones give back. Hopefully the good weather continues tomorrow."

[Paul_E_D]

Well, there may be a time to hold your cards close, but this ain't it. Nicky needs to get on with it and quick, IMO.

[legalspeed]

Nicky got there on hard work and talent. I thought he would be a flash in the pan and not do anything in MGP; we watched as he worked real hard at it and we all know what happened.

He's a gifted rider that is willing to do what it takes to achieve.

He'll get there.

friggin sandbagger....

[McBiggity]

way, way, too early to make any assumptions. Let's see what the season brings.

[eboos]

Yeah, Paul wouldn't know about mind games.... he didn't learn how to become a 125GP champion by reading Rossi's book... it wasn't out yet

Well, I am sure put in my place. I'll just carry on bringing up the rear in the lightweight novice classes.

[OreoGaborio]

Hehe, just bustin balls, bro, bustin balls.... Plus Paul's not one to toot his own horn so sometimes other people do it for him


WISHIN NICKY THE BEST!

[eboos]

No problem. As winter bordom sets in, I tend to talk out of my ass much more.

[eboos]

I just looked it up, Hayden is second of the Ducati riders and only by 0.024 seconds. He is ahead of Kallio and Gibernau by nearly a second. It may be the whole Ducati package that needs some work right now.

[eboos]

Nicky is now in fifth for the second day of testing. He is pretty much equal in time from the 3rd place rider Jorge Lorenzo, and Rossi and Pedrosa are 1 second faster.

[Paul_E_D]

Phew, that's a bit of a relief.

[BMFR6]

Curious how Kalio is going to do as well.

Unofficial lap times, Thursday 27th November

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 1:39.429
2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 1:39.447
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1:40.426
4. Toni Elias (Honda) 1:40.448
5. Alex De Angelis (Honda) 1:40.486
Nicky Hayden (Ducati) 1:40.486
7. Mika Kallio (Ducati) 1:40.564
8. Colin Edwards(Yamaha) 1:40.604
9. Sete Gibernau (Ducati) 1:40.856
10. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) 1:40.966
11. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati) 1:41.077
12. James Toseland (Yamaha) 1:41.740
13. Vitto Guareschi (Ducati) 1:42.906
14. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) 1:42.918