"Don't really change a whole lot for me. You know, it's one less rider on Michelin, which I think hurts. It's getting close to being spec tyre now, you know. There's really only five or six guys left that aren't on Bridgestone. So, yeah, it really don't change a whole lot other than the wall down the middle of the garage. Honestly, there was already a bit of a wall there. So not a lot's changed," he declared.

The rather bleak image of life at Repsol Honda continued when Hayden was asked if he might leave the team before the end of the season.

Hayden stated his determination to see out the remainder of the year "unless they lock the door on me" something that he said "could happen" and that if it did some people in the team "probably would never notice."

"I expect - I mean unless they tell me, no, I don't have any intention not to do the rest of the season," replied Hayden. "I mean that seems crazy. I honestly haven't really - that's what people thought after Misano and everything had happened, but no, I plan on - I owe it to Honda to go out. I think they know that, at least the guys in my team know I'm not going to lay down until the very end, until Valencia.

"So, no, I fully plan on doing the whole season unless they lock the door over there on me, I plan on going in there and getting on the bike. (Laughter). That could happen. I mean, you know. There's probably people in that box that if I didn't show up probably would never notice. (Laughter). But I plan on going.

"I'm not trying to be funny or give one-liners," insisted Nicky.

"No, that was funny. (Laughter)," quipped Colin Edwards.

Meanwhile, Hayden now has five races left with which to try and claim a podium finish on the pneumatic-valve RC212V, which Pedrosa will also ride this weekend.

Hayden, who hasn't won a race since 2006 and has taken a best finish of fourth so far this season, missed the last two rounds due to a heel injury sustained on a Supermoto bike at the X Games on August 1.

Hayden's heal remains in a protective boot and he walks with the aid of crutches, but the Kentuckian will be doing his best in front of his home fans and is desperate to try and resurrect something from "the worst season of his career".

"It's all right; it's a little bit better than Misano, for sure. This track going left will be a lot better, but honestly I hoped to be more healed," he said. "I had some doctors saying it's going to take a while and being a racer you think, no, and go get another opinion and find somebody who says I'll be all right quicker.

"It's taken awhile, and it's just the wrong part of the foot that I broke. It's been slow but, yeah, I'll be all right here this weekend going left. So it's certainly been another tough year for me and probably the worst, honestly, if I'm honest, probably the worst season of my career so far.