The stage of maturity
In his third MotoGP season within the Repsol Honda Team, Nicky Hayden is aware of the fact that he is no longer a rookie and that it is time for results
Time has come for this young and fast rider from Kentucky, to return the trust placed on him during the last two seasons. He knows what he is staking this year and he’s not afraid of it. With a permanent smile on his boyish face, Hayden never avoids talking about anything. After finishing the second test day in Malaysia and setting the third fastest time, two tenths behind his team-mate Biaggi, everything seems to indicate that the North American is following the right path during the preseason. How is the preseason going?The preseason is very important. The season starts in April and its many days ahead, so now you tend to think that theres a lot of time left…But we wont notice and well already be in Jerez, so its highly important to complete our testing plan. Right now were working hard on all aspects: chassis, suspensions, tyres… Were doing a great job with Michelin; the people from Bridgestone are getting more competitive every day and that forces us to work hard with Michelin to get better tyres. What about your injury in the right knee?Its doing much better. It bothered and hurt a lot during the first tests of the year but its almost gone now. Its great to be able to ride this bike without any discomfort; it allows you to enjoy riding without loosing concentration due to the pain. Ive been taking care in winter, letting the knee get better with the normal process, so right now I feel physically 100% recovered. Important changes comparing the 2004 and 2005 bikes?This Friday has been the first day on the 2005 bike; we made the last tests with the 2004 bike but with some novelties. The current bike does not differ much from last seasons one; there are only slight differences and improvements. Now were working on the settings, getting to know it and to understand it. Were also trying to improve the behaviour of the clutch and of the engine brake entering corners, while trying to reduce the chattering problems appeared in the past. Almost all of us are at the same level in this Championship, so we have to look for those small differences that will allow us to be a bit faster than the rest, although its never easy to find them. This will be Nicky Haydens third season in the MotoGP. What do you expect to achieve this year? Are you ready to fight for the podium and the victory in every race?Well, Im not a class rookie anymore, I know it and that means that from now on everybody team, sponsors and fans will expect me to make a step forward and get results. Im ready to give my best; Im mentally prepared for it. This season I want to be regularly within the front group; last year I was in the front a couple of times, especially during practices, but this time I want to be there race after race. Last year it was hard to see that sometimes I was closer to the fastest riders of the class and sometimes rather in the back. But things have changed now and Im ready for my first victory; I think that this is going to be a good season for us. The Repsol Honda Team is completely renewed this season as regards the technical staff. Are you happy with the changes in your structure, starting with the inclusion of Pete Benson as Chief of Mechanics?It was HRC who decided to make a series of changes in my working group at the end of last season and I think that they made a good decision. It is not my intention to speak badly about anybody because I think that Ive always been surrounded by highly professional people, but maybe I needed a change and be surrounded by younger people, with a fresher mentality. Im personally happy with the changes made by HRC; I feel well in my team and with the new working group. Mistakes you made last year that you will try to avoid this season…Above all, I have to avoid crashing during the race. Thats a mistake I cannot make and that I made several times last year. Pushing too hard during the race takes you to end up on the ground; thats something I have to change completely. Is Valentino Rossi still one step ahead of the rest of the riders?Yes, thats no secret. Our aim is to get Valentino because he is the current reference in the class, in addition to being World Champion in the last four seasons. Valentino deserves great respect as a rider for all he has achieved, but we must work following the path we have set ourselves to get to his level bit by bit and finally manage to beat him. Where do you think lies the secret to beat him?Well, its complicated, very complicated, because with his credentials its quite obvious that Valentino has very little week points. I think that hes a very consistent and regular rider in addition to having the advantage of not feeling under pressure by any of us. I think that the secret lies in putting him under pressure to force him making a mistake, because when you feel comfortable and you have no pressure, you hardly make mistakes. I think that this is the answer to your question. Three team-mates in three seasons& and Nicky Hayden is still in the Repsol Honda Team. How is your relationship with your new team-mate?Im happy to be in the Repsol Honda Team despite the changes and I only hope to achieve the necessary results to continue in the best team of the World Championship. As regards my new team-mate, everyone in the paddock has his own opinion about Max, but I highly respect Max as a rider, I think that hes a great rider, very technical and fine on the bike. I only hope to learn as much as possible from him. Were not friends, because were two very different persons, but our relationship is good and correct. What has Nicky Hayden been doing in winter?When I got back home after my last test in November, the first thing I did was obviously taking a couple of days of rest and relax. I also spent a couple of weeks without getting on a bike, away from races, wheels and engines… Before that I had to go to Japan for some days for some public relations activities from Honda, but then I spent time disconnecting at home, with my family and friends. The period without physical efforts also helped me to finish recovering from the knee injury. Then I went back to activity, the working sessions with my physiotherapist the same as Ricky Carmichaels- restarted and therefore I moved a couple of days to Florida to train with Ricky, and enjoy a much agreeable weather there. If I say Laguna Seca, what gets to your mind?Laguna Seca will be an absolute high, a great party, a wonderful weekend for me. My friends, my family& all of them will be there, and racing at home, in front of your fans, is one of the best things that can happen to a MotoGP rider, something that Ill finally be able to enjoy this season. I also think, looking at the whole, that this Grand Prix will be good for our sport and especially for the American fans. I cant avoid a big smile when I think about Laguna Seca, it will be a great party for us. I guess that being there, at home, youll be able to fight hard against the rest of the MotoGP riders, considering that its a circuit you know very well… A twisty circuit and somehow strange, if I may say so…I dont think that the MotoGP riders are going to have trouble getting used to Laguna Seca. This is the World Championshi, they are the best, were not talking about training races, so I dont think that they will have any trouble adapting to the layout to be competitive. Besides, some of them, like Alex Barros, have already raced in Laguna Seca. And lets not forget that there are other North American riders that will also be very fast there… But I insist, the most important thing for me will be racing in front of my people and doing a good race.
