“We certainly raced on the right day”Following the Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix several teams stayed on for a day of testing, but the proceedings were disturbed by heavy rain at the Sepang circuit.
It had been expected that Ben Spies would take to
the track for a test ride of the Suzuki GSV-R800, but the American rider who recently retained the AMA Superbike title decided against it due to the slippery conditions.
Likewise Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa was put off by the rain, but his team-mate Nicky Hayden, the 2006 MotoGP title winner and a former AMA Superbike champion himself, was unperturbed by the water on track and took the opportunity to work on his wet riding skills.
Exorcising the demons after his ninth place finish in Sunday's MotoGP race and working as hard as ever on the settings of his Honda RC212V, Hayden undertook around 30 laps before calling it a day.
Later the Kentuckian rider commented: “We certainly raced on the right day here at Sepang because most of today the rain was strong and steady. Then at the last moment it lightened up enough to get out on track and do some testing in the wet. It was useful because I haven't exactly been setting the world on fire in the rain this season.”
“We evaluated a few engine setting variations and actually found some adjustments that were well worth our time. We probably could have done with the dry time, but you've got to take what you can get. Thanks to the team because I got two bikes pretty filthy here riding in the rain today, so thanks to my guys for sticking around and working hard as always.”
“Hopefully I can give them a good result at Valencia to repay them for all the work they've done this year. I'm really looking forward to Valencia because, looking back to yesterday's race, the ninth place result wasn't good but my pace and my rhythm was so much better and I'm quite happy about the lap times I was able to run. It gives me some good confidence going into the last race of the year.”
DORNA / CAPSIS International
