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SBK, Hayden: "We've taken a step forward"

The American is pleased with his performance on Friday: "The track conditions and new Pirellis helped me". Bradl is still off the pace: "So much work on the electronics. We're more competitive with a view to the race".

SBK: Hayden: "We've taken a step forward"

The factory Honda and team and the new Fireblade SP2 have completed their first real day of school, and it's come with its ups and downs. On the one side of the garage, there are smiles, with Nicky Hayden able to close in eighth place, thus qualifying for Superpole 2, while on the other side Stefan Bradl continues working to adapt to the bike and the category, unable to do more than sixteenth today, one and a half seconds from the front.

Nicky Hayden sets out with the right foot, and is clearly satisfied with the progress made. “During the two test days we had some good ideas of things to try this weekend - explains the Kentucky Kid – and we've already taken a good step forward, also thanks to the improved condition of the asphalt and the new tyres that Pirelli has brought”.

Despite this obvious improvement, experience means that the American is keeping is feet firmly on the ground: “We've set some good times, but we have to improve a few things for race 1. The level is really high in the group that I'm in right now, but I'll try to make the most of being in Superpole 2 to score a good result".

Progress has definitely been made since the tests earlier in the week, and this is also confirmed by Stefan Bradl, despite his difficulties in today's practices: “We've improved with respect to the tests, especially this morning. The electronics are now working  better after the work we've done there. In the afternoon though we realised that the range in which the electronics work well is really small, and we finished the day far from the front. The track conditions were also worse compared to the morning and I couldn't make the most of the new tyre, but I know we can be competitive in a race configuration”.

So what to do ahead of tomorrow? The former Moto2 champion is keeping calm and knows what he needs to do: “Tomorrow we'll start with this morning's setting and try to build and improve on that”. 

Translated by Heather Watson

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