Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi get satisfactory start at Le Mans – MotoGP News
Ducati Team duo Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi placed fourth and ninth, by the end of the second free practice session for Monster Energy Grand Prix de France scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 15.
The first day for free practice sessions was warm and dry, with bright sunshine. The fourth round of the 2011 MotoGP season kicked off with a couple of free practice sessions, heading towards race day. The American rider was leaning at eighth place in the
first free practice session but with the second session of the day he hopped up to sit at a decent fourth fastest position on the time charts.
Hayden seemed satisfied by his pace in the second practice session and felt much better than the earlier practice session of the season, as he said, “It’s still early and it’s just one day, but the bike felt quite good here straight away. The Portugal test
was very useful for me and the team.”
The team was pleased with their step forward that they made in the post-race test after Estoril. Hayden is happy because the bike has given him a good feel on track, but it is still a long way to make this fast pace consistent for the race. The gap from
the fastest rider is still prominent and in the situation like Le Mans circuit, which lacks grip, it is difficult. The bike is good in hard braking which is helpful for the rider in this circuit.
The Italian rider of the Ducati Team, Valentino Rossi started the practice day with good pace and stood on sixth place in the time sheet, the fastest GP11 rider of the first practice session.
Rossi said, “For sure I hoped today would go better than that. We had a few problems trying to find the right setting, so we’re too far back today. We’re struggling somewhat on corner exits.”
At the start of the second free practice session, Rossi was leaning down and away from his team-mate Hayden. Rossi is at ninth place on the final time sheet of the day, standing five places away from his team-mate.
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