The next round of the MotoGP World Championship takes place on Spanish land on Sunday, with the Jerez circuit welcoming the track to Europe following the delay of the GP of Japan till seven months later because the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland.
Jerez circuit has not ordinarily favoured the characteristics of the Desmosedici however a podium for Ducati Marlboro rider Casey Stoner in 2009 and the hard work accomplished on the round this winter by the Ducati MotoGP Team, Filippo Preziosi as well as his technicians in Borgo Panigale, have to let the Australian along with his partner Nicky Hayden to look ahead to this sunday with more confidence.
the Australian is save in the developments and is awaiting to being able to challenge in Jerez’s race.
He said: “It is pretty unusual for a GP to be postponed but like last year in Qatar it is the kind of thing we can’t predict or control so we just have to look ahead to Jerez and the job that awaits us there. In the past it hasn’t been one of the more favourable circuits for us but we made some steps forward last year and finished on the podium.”
“We start from zero this time around though and on Friday we’ll be working hard to find a set-up for the race. You need good handling for this track but also good stability and I think the direction we’ve taken with development of the GP10 should allow us to be competitive on Sunday,” concluded the Australian.
Hayden is want to use what he obtained from his 4th place in previous round to make another improvement this Sunday, at a track at which he got 1st place in 2006.
“We were all ready for a flyaway race and instead we’re going to Jerez for the first GP in Europe, where the paddock is all set up ‘properly’ with the motorhomes, hospitality units and all those fans!” said Hayden. “The atmosphere at Jerez is always awesome. Nothing really springs to mind about the track itself… there are no huge straights – mainly sections that flow into one another. At this time of year the track can be a little cold in the morning and then it tends to get warm in the afternoon, so we will have to be ready for any kind of condition.”
The American rider concluded by mentioning his goal for the race, adding:
“Our target is to try to stay at the level we set ourselves in the first race and build on what we did out there. I know I have a good bike and a team that is fully behind me so I can’t wait to get back on track.”
