Tuesday Conversation: Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden’s home Grand Prix is going down this weekend, and considering that one of his two podium finishes last season came at the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP, there’s reason to hope for a good showing, despite his problems this season.  We gave him a call to get a pre-race update.

RRX: Well, up until this morning, the hot rumor was that you and Jorge were trading bikes. What are your thoughts now that Yamaha has announced he’s returning next season?

Nicky Hayden: Well, I guess that’s one less thing for people to talk about, and I would think other things would start falling into place now. Obviously there’s some speculation and a lot of things going on. We know my contract’s up, and I don’t know what’s going to happen with Ducati, but I know I’m not ready to come home and ride a tractor in the OWB next summer. You can’t worry about it, but obviously it’s your career and your future, and you want to be able to do your job. We’ll see what happens. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I’ve got managers that handle that, and I’m focusing on the easy stuff—that’s my main priority right now. Part of me does think about it; [laughs] I want a job next year too, just like everybody else! It’ll work itself out; it always does.

Indy’s right around the corner. Based on how you went there last year, you’ve got to be looking forward to it.
Yeah, I am. I like the Indy track. I enjoy the layout, and it’s an awesome place. I love it; I’m excited about it. Obviously, I wish maybe things were different, but I have a lot of momentum going. We had a solid result at Brno—not enough, but we were competitive there. Obviously, I hope to go to Indy and do the same. Last year I went to Indy and I was on crutches and hadn’t raced in six weeks, and really part of me thought I was going to embarrass myself. I led half the race. We’ll go there with all we got and try to do the maximum and see what happens. Racing is a funny game. We’ll try to get us a good result, have some fun. I’m just looking forward to seeing the fans and people and trying to do something.

I know you’re not where you want to be and aren’t progressing as quickly as you’d like, but you’ve been moving in the right direction.
Yeah, we really have. Donington was a bit of a disaster, but the last couple races before that, things have really felt better. It’s not enough, but it’s better than twelfth place and being at the back of the pack with the pace car. My feeling’s improving with the bike, and more than anything, probably my communication with the team is getting better. Juan [Martinez], my crew chief—he really didn’t come in until round 3. I think people really don’t know how important that is or understand it does take time. It’s important to have that communication with the guys. We went to the third race of the season, with a crew chief that I’d only ever talked to on the phone one time and seen around the paddock. It’s taken some time to jell and start to get the communication down, but that’s become a lot better. We’re starting to chip away at it. It’s been tough, but the team’s worked hard, and I’m starting to like the bike more and more every time.

You mentioned Donington. Talk a little bit about what happened with the decision to run the rain tire.
Yeah, I mean, you look back, and it was really a stupid decision, but I don’t really regret the decision a whole lot. Now, of course I look like an idiot, but I’ve made them moves before that paid off. But I was starting in the back, and I’m real with myself: I know at the moment, all things being equal, I’m not going to win a race. I haven’t won a race in recent years, and I know at the moment, until things improve, I’m not ready to win another race. That morning in the warm-up, I was third-fastest in the wet, and it was by far the best I’ve went on that bike in the wet. I was fastest through a big part of that session; only at the very end, Casey bumped me. I went out on the sighting lap, and it was sprinkling. There was rain all around the area—I mean, it literally was sprinkling. It had rained the whole time I’d been in England, so it wasn’t maybe the most outside thing I’ve ever tried in my life. I took a chance to try and get some glory, and obviously it backfired. I hated it because it makes the team look bad, along with Casey doing it, which he had a bit more to lose than me; I don’t even know where I am in the points—only in front of a few guys [14^th, Ed]. It turned out bad, so I learned from it and won’t be gambling any time soon. I went for it once, and unfortunately it didn’t happen.

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