Exactly one day after the Valencia race the Ducati Desmosedici GP9 went out for a two-day test session with the Ducati MotoGP 2009 riders.
The first time for the new comer “Stars and Stripes” Nicky Hayden.
Nicky went out at 11.
00 for a ride with the Desmosedici GP8 before turning to the new Stars and Stripes GP9 model and was happy about the intense test day.
Nicky Hayden rode a best laptime of 1′33.
960 and said about his first Ducati day: “It has been a very intense day and full of many things to test and to understand, but it was exactly as I expected it to be.
I did just one run with the GP8 and then I switched completely to the GP9.
This first day has given me an appreciation of the bike and the team.
“I found myself pretty comfortable on the bike, and I really didn’t make a lot of changes to levers and handlebars.
We have not even changed a lot the settings, we have just made some small changes, some mapping settings, a couple of tyres, in order to try and understand the direction of the bike and to feel comfortable on it.
” Casey Stoner left the first round with the GP9 setting the fastest time of the day, saying: “The feelings from this first day of testing in Valencia with the GP9 have been definitely good.
We tried many things, some worked well, others less so, but this is normal because the bike is quite different in its characteristics and in its reactions compared to the GP8.
I am very happy with the behavior of the engine that seems to me to be more progressive and predictable.
The bike is more stable in braking which is really saying something because the GP8 was already very efficient from this point of view.
“We have to work more on the rear set-up but the potential is good, it is just a question of finding the right set-up.
A good start from this point of view.
I think that Nicky is content with his first day at Ducati, he continued to improve during the day and I am sure that with a few more days with the bike he will find himself in good shape.
”source ducati