Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden tests the new asphalt at Indianapolis circuit – MotoGP news
Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden had a test ride at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in order to test the newly laid asphalt on the circuit.
It was reported that the old track surface was filled with pit holes and bumps. The surface was hard to race on and held off overtaking. After the reported problem, the officials planned to repave the circuit from turn 5 to turn 16 covering the infield section,
which makes the road course for MotoGP race.
Hayden said, “The new surface is just what I expected, it's pretty much perfect. There are a couple corners that the riders requested to be redone and IMS went above and beyond, and actually the whole infield from Turn 5 to the finish is repaved.”
After testing the newly paved infield section of the IMS, Hayden is waiting to get on track at Indy and race at his second home event. He is keen to get aboard a racing bike and sort the race line of the track.
The paving process has been completed prior to the MotoGP event at the venue. The Red Bull Grand Prix is the 12th event on the season calendar. The International Motorbike Federation (FIM) have also tested the new pavement and declared it as a
job well done.
The American rider feels that it will be more competitive for the riders to race by using the variant lines that were not used previously.
Hayden added, “I think it's safer, for one. There was a lot of crashing in the Turn 6 area over those bumps and I think it'll also make the racing better. It's going to open up a few areas where before it was one line because you had to miss the bumps.”
His anticipations are that this season’s race at the IMS will be more interesting due to a fully useable track. The turns will now allow overtakes that were not possible due to a bumpy surface.
Hayden also commented about the track history and its speciality. It is the only track in MotoGP calendar that holds a road course inside the big oval track layout which stretches to 1.5 mile.
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