By Stephen EnglishNicky Hayden claimed his first front row
MotoGP start since the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2010 after a stunning qualifying effort at
Jerez on Saturday.
The American has put a torrid winter blighted by injuries behind him, looking comfortable aboard the new Ducati and enthusing that it was probably the best Desmosedici he has ridden.
After qualifying however the former world champion was keen not to focus too much on his front row and is thinking only of the race.
“I'm happy to be on the front row of course, but today don't really matter,” said Hayden. “It's the result that counts so I'll concentrate on that.”
He went on to say that, “I'm happy because we made some progress and we are closer to the front.”
Despite his pace in Saturday's dry qualifying, Hayden knows that his chances of a successful race are much higher in the wet.
“I'll try and make the most of it tomorrow and try and have a good result,” he said.
“In the dry I probably don't have too good a chance to be up here. Everybody's best against my best in the dry is probably not that great, but in the wet we're going to take our chances!”