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Hayden’s Troubling Ducati MotoGP Debut

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

There are two ways to look at Nicky Hayden’s Ducati Qatar MotoGP debut: It was either a moral victory, the injured American piloting his Ducati from 16th to 12th all while barely stitched together after a brutal qualifying highside… or it was a preview of the frustrating season ahead.

Nicky Haden had a hard opening round of MotoGP. After a nasty highside that left three stitches in his chest and a very sore back he managed to edge out Sete Gibernau for 12th.

Will Number 69 find his GP-winning skills on the Ducati Desmosedici?

The talent of Casey Stoner, Hayden’s teammate, was obvious in his dominating 2007 title-winning season. But at the time the Aussie’s accomplishments were tempered with speculation regarding the apparent superiority of his Desmosedici mount and Bridgestone tires. It wasn’t until 2008, with the complete failure of Marco Melandri aboard the Ducati, that Stoner’s true talent was proven and appreciated. The perception of Stoner and the Ducati completely altered.

Now it’s Nicky Hayden’s turn on the fickle Ducati. There are similarities between Hayden and Melandri: The two were often side by side in the points before Hayden’s 2006 title run (including a spirited battle for second overall in 2005), both also joined Ducati after long, GP-winning tenures with Honda. And, so far, Hayden’s 2009 results are looking much more akin to Melandri than Stoner.

So will Hayden adapt to the Ducati, or will the American become another example of Stoner’s uncanny talent aboard the Desmosedici?

We will find out in under two week’s time, with the second round of the 2009 season at Japan’s Motegi circuit.

MotoGP Racing Qatar Results
MotoGP Qatar Photo Gallery

Post Tags: nicky hayden qatar, qatar grand prix, motogp qatar

Blog Archive

2009: Jan; Feb; Mar; Apr; May; Jun; Jul; Aug; Sep; Oct; Nov; Dec

2008: Jan; Feb; Mar; Apr; May; Jun; Jul; Aug; Sep; Oct; Nov; Dec

Comments

Rossi Fan - truth is not easy to find April 21, 2009 02:00 AM
Look, Nicky weights around 10 KG more than Stoner, I believe only Dani is lighter than Casey, that's not Casey's fault but is a fact. Stoner setup allows for a very low gravity centre, the weight difference also helps straight speed and the demon starts Casey and Dani put on the other riders. The weight and height difference is not the whole story but it's part of it. Even Rossi had to lecture some media buzzards as to why Nicky was a worthy champion if Rossi thinks that way what would I do different, compared to Vale I know nothing about moto racing and neither any one here. The point is give the guy a chance before passing judgment.

JimM - Hayden April 16, 2009 02:26 PM
I am no Hayden fan, but it is hard to question his abilities. He is a former World Champ and just needs to adapt to the Ducati. Give him time. Prediction: Either #2 or #3 this year.

underground - Hayden's prediction April 16, 2009 08:54 AM
I agree, Hayden will not win another championship, nor be top three in the points. Like someone said, he is good and hardworking; no doubt about that, but just not cream of the crop. He won 2006 by just sheer consistency in points against other contenders that got just too many DNF's that year. I hope he doesn't turn out to be like Hopper, always blaming his bike and not himself for the results. Hayden complained about the RC212 at various times in 08. Let's not hear him complain about the Desmo!

Junger - Hayden - Ducati debut April 15, 2009 09:45 PM
It is amazing to see all of the GP riders we have here day in and day out slamming the abilities of Hayden and everyone else that isn't winning from behind a keyboard. Stoner was the butt of many jokes his first year in GP when he couldn't keep his honda on two wheels and was midpack his first year. But then he took the Ducati and was instantly topping even the mighty Rossi. Rossi proved he was and still is the greatest last year.... Maybe Nicky will not win again, maybe he will... He still is the only one besides Stoner that outlasted Rossi for albeit one year in his mighty championship run this decade!! He deserves his respect as a champion period...

JesterDFW - No one with any success? April 15, 2009 09:37 AM
Quote"He's still learning to ride the Duc and aside from Stoner no one else has been able to put Duc on the podium (or even top five) since they dropped to 800cc" This is not true. Loris Capirossi won a race and podiumed 4 times the first year the 800cc Desmo was raced.

B - YoYo? April 15, 2009 09:06 AM
Yoyo. We reading the same thing? It says Hayden won 2006 not 2007. And it says Stoner's 2007 season was dominating, which it was, not Hayden's 2006.

yoyo - slight correction April 14, 2009 08:07 PM
nicky hayden won the 2006 motogp championship, not the 2007. casey stoner won 2007, and valentino rossi won 2008. and his 2006 season wasn't dominating, he sealed his win in his last race, before that it was a toss up between him and vale.

cggunnersmate - Hayden April 14, 2009 07:59 PM
Though Nicky will likely never see the kind of success on the Duc that Stoner has I still believe Nicky will prove to be better on it than Melandri at least. The thing Nicky has going for him is that he is quite likely the hardest working rider in MotoGP. More often that not he through his career he has logged far more laps in practice and testing than anyone else in the field. He has tremendous dedication to the sport and imroving his performance. He's still learning to ride the Duc and aside from Stoner no one else has been able to put Duc on the podium (or even top five) since they dropped to 800cc. Once Nick has healed and adapted to the bike he'll likely improve. I hope and believe he'll do better than Melandri did but unless he has some kind of Ducati epiphany he won't be fighting for any wins on it. I know he loves MotoGP and wants to win there I think I wouldn't mind seeing him move on to WSBK. The field is so deep with talent right now that Nicky could jump in and have some good battles. I'd love to see him and Ben battling it out for wins.

keen observer - Nicky Hayden April 14, 2009 07:26 PM
I said it when he squeeked in his chamionships on second place finishes, he's good but he isn't that good and he'll never be a true champion like Rossi. GP has about 4 or 5 riders that can win, the rest are road apples, road apples that ride better than anybody in the world not in Moto GP. Nicky Hayden will NEVER win a championship again.

Desmolicious - Hayden rival on Ducati? April 14, 2009 02:52 PM
Even before the crash Mikka Kallio was and is riding the Ducati better than Hayden, with better results.

WilCon - Hayden April 14, 2009 02:51 PM
Given time I think Hayden will get it. He has spent his entire Moto GP career trying to smooth out his cornering maintain higher speed at apex and become a 250 style rider. Now in one offseason he needed to revert to his AMA days of backing it in and explosive off corner acceleration. It will come back to him it's who he is and it's in his DNA to ride like that.

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