Second row for the Repsol Honda Team in Laguna Seca.
Dani Pedrosa fourth and Nicky Hayden sixth, got a place on the second row after a complicated day due to the high temperatures.
The high temperatures raised the already high and demanding level of the Californian track. Almost 40 ºC in the air and more than 55º C on the asphalt of Laguna Seca, were not expected guests putting the physical performance of riders, bikes, engines and tyres to the test.In the morning session and with much softer temperatures, Nicky Hayden showed his rivals clearly what he is ready to do tomorrow. After a total of 31 laps on the North American track, Hayden stopped the clocks only two tenths behind the best time set at the circuit, actually by himself in 2005. The air temperature was of about 27º C and the asphalt was at 40º C, but nobody dared to imagine then, at 11 o’clock in the morning, that the lack of wind and an incredibly strong shining sun would raise the temperatures up to those incredible levels.
The thousands of American fans that came out to Laguna Seca, to watch the timed session in the afternoon enjoyed the already typical exciting moments of MotoGP, but under a suffocating heat. With temperatures reaching 38º C in the air and 58º C on the asphalt, the riders tried hard to get the best out of their machines that had to stand a lot this afternoon. On a much more slippery track than in the morning and with the tyres wearing out quickly, the fight for the top spot of the grid had not less than five candidates: Hayden, Edwards, Roberts Junior, Pedrosa and Vermeulen. They fought for the pole under the very last instants of the session until Vermeulen finally managed to set the fastest clock after the 60-minutes session. Dani Pedrosa was finally fourth and team-mate Nicky Hayden sixth, both getting a place on the second row of the grid.
Nicky Hayden,
62 laps, 223’82 Km:
‘I’d have liked to have been on the front row for sure and my split times were quite good this afternoon. My ideal time had me in second place, but I just didn’t put one clean lap together and on my last lap I had to pass someone. The bottom line is that I’ve struggled a little bit all weekend and I’m not that comfortable in some parts of the track. I can get one of two quick laps here or there, it’s the consistency I missing at the moment. But tomorrow’s when it counts and I’m excited about the race. If we can make a few adjustments overnight we’ll come in here ready and I’ll be looking to get an awesome start and just give it all I’ve got. It’s going to be a tough one no doubt, but I feel like I’m a stronger rider than last year so I’m looking forward to it.’
Dani Pedrosa,
62 laps, 223’82 Km:
‘I think today went ok and my position is quite good, though the conditions were strange this afternoon. We couldn’t really work on choosing a race tyre as usual this afternoon because it was so slippery and there was something strange about the grip – perhaps because it was so hot. The lap times were much slower. Even with the qualifying tyre I couldn’t improve on this morning’s time. However, I think the position is quite good, so let’s see if I can get a great start because until this afternoon everything was quite good. In free practice one, two and three everything was just about perfect.’
