While the Estoril race wasn’t as bad as yesterday’s qualifying session for Ducati, the Italian team seemed to find some comfort in Valentino Rossi’s fifth place and Nicky Hayden’s ninth, but the two riders seem to be more anxious over what Ducati will bringing in for tomorrow’s testing session after the recent three day test at the Mugello.
Here’s what Rossi and Hayden had to say about the race:“Apart from Dovizioso, today went well! I’m joking, but Andrea obviously rode a race that was strategically perfect,” said Rossi.
“I think he played with me a little, knowing that on the straight, he could probably beat me to the line.
He couldn’t pass me because I was strong on the brakes, so he had me do all the work for 28 laps before making his attempt, and he got me by twenty-five thousandths.
Apart from that, the team and I are very happy, because it was a nice race and this, for the time being, is the best we can do.
I started well, I made up several positions, and then I was very consistent, with decent times.
I practically did the same lap from qualifying for 28 laps, so it’s a good result.
My only disappointment is that fourth would have been my best finish with the Ducati.
Anyway, another positive is that I’m physically well, as I’m missing just fifteen percent of my strength, but I think I’ll be at 100 percent between Le Mans and Catalunya.
As for the bike, there’s certainly still work to do, but we’re working together with the Ducati technicians.
They’re pleased with the data they have, and I’m seeing that what I get from the racing department works.
It will take some time, but we’re going forward.
Tomorrow we’ll have some new things to try, so let’s hope that it’s dry, and we’ll see how it goes.
We don’t expect to solve everything in seven hours, just to continue down the path we’ve started on together.
” Nicky Hayden: “Starting from thirteenth, it was always going to be difficult for us, but the bike was good off the line and I got a good start.
I made some early mistakes, but I was also recovering a few positions.
I got into seventh, but I was having difficulty back-shifting.
Already on the sighting lap, I knew it was an issue.
On the grid, we talked about getting on the other bike, but we decided together that it was better to stick with our bike and not start from pit road.
It caused some difficulty, especially on corner entry, and some guys came past.
Then Spies hit me pretty good and stood me up going into Turn 3, so I lost the bridge to Aoyama and Crutchlow.
I’m really happy we have a test tomorrow.
We’ve got some stuff to try, and hopefully we’ll get some good weather, because we lost some dry time this weekend with the rain.
The bike was great in the wet—third Friday and fourth this morning—but we need to make it better in the dry.
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