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There is still a long way to go. It was not the Monday Nicky Hayden was expecting at Phillip Island. Besides the difficulties in the saddle of the Honda, the foul weather also had a hand in ruining the American’s plans. No small problem, because the Kentucky Kid needs to become as familiar as possible with the Fireblade SP2.
What is the end result of this Monday?
“I feel a bit better here, although the weather turned out to be a big question mark. Today I worked on the settings, but the weather kept changing suddenly and we would have to start all over again.”
What about the new bike do you give passing marks?
“The grip was positive, but in a few sections the track was drying off, whereas in others it stayed wet. The biggest problem on the track is definitely the wind. The sudden gusts are treacherous, especially after turn 1.”
What is different than before with the new Fireblade SP2?
“In the afternoon, I was able to improve, but we are still working to try to figure out which direction to go. The sensations are more or less the same as a year ago, as are the geometries. The rear gives me confidence, but we need to take a step forward. We are coming up on this round not very well prepared, but that’s normal, because the bike arrived just recently, plus Portimão was not a very memorable test because of the weather.”
On the other side of the garage, the feelings are basically the same. Stefan Bradl’s expression is a mixture of bitterness and disappointment, with only five days to go before the season opener. The German does not mince any words in his analysis.
“Unfortunately, the morning session was conditioned by the rain and that proved to be a problem for us, just like at Portimão. We are working to find a competitive setup, but it is not very simple. We will need to focus on the details. Our rivals are very likely more prepared.”
At the moment you still do not feel ready?
“We will need to take full advantage of Tuesday, because now it is difficult to aim for the top-five. For Thailand, the situation will be more or less the same. There are some difficulties and we need to try to improve day by day.”
What is the most complicated aspect?
“Every point. At the moment there is nothing that satisfies me. The problem is that many areas that need work and not just one in particular.”
Will you do a long run on Tuesday?
“It would be important, but we will need to evaluate how much time we have and I don’t know if we will be able to.”
