Q&A: Nicky Hayden.

Nicky Hayden will start his third season in MotoGP in 2005, where he will again ride for the factory Repsol Honda Team, and is aware that the time to turn potential into solid results is fast approaching.

Here, the young American answer questions on his pre-season preparations to date, the new Honda RCV, his expectations for this season, how to beat Valentino Rossi and much more...

Q:
How is the pre-season going?

Nicky Hayden:
The pre-season is very important. The season starts in April and it's many days away, so now you tend to think that there's a lot of time left... But we won't notice and we'll already be in Jerez, so it's really important to complete our testing plan. Right now we're working hard on all aspects: chassis, suspensions, tyres... We're doing a great job with Michelin; the people from Bridgestone are getting more competitive every day and that forces us to work hard with Michelin to get better tyres.

Q:
How's the injury in your right knee recovering?

Nicky Hayden:
It's doing much better. It bothered and hurt a lot during the first tests of the year but it's almost gone now. It's great to be able to ride this bike without any discomfort; it allows you to enjoy riding without loosing concentration due to the pain. I've been taking care in winter, letting the knee get better with the normal process, so right now I feel physically 100% recovered.

Q:
What are the important changes on the 2005 bike?

Nicky Hayden:
The current bike doesn't differ much from last season's; there are only slight differences and improvements. Now we're working on the settings, getting to know it and to understand it.

We're also trying to improve the behaviour of the clutch and of the engine brake entering corners, while trying to reduce the chattering problems that appeared in the past.

Almost all of us are at the same level in this championship, so we have to look for those small differences that will allow us to be a bit faster than the rest, although it's never easy to find them.

Q:
This will be your third season in MotoGP. What do you expect to achieve this year? Are you ready to fight for the podium and even victory in every race?

Nicky Hayden:
Well, I'm not a class rookie anymore, I know that and that means that from now on everybody - team, sponsors and fans - will expect me to make a step forward and get results. I'm ready to give my best; I'm mentally prepared for it.

This season I want to be regularly within the front group; last year I was in the front a couple of times, especially during practices, but this time I want to be there race after race.

Last year it was hard to see that sometimes I was closer to the fastest riders of the class and sometimes further back. But things have changed now and I'm ready for my first victory; I think this is going to be a good season for us.

Q:
There have been a lot of personnel changes within the Repsol Honda Team for this season as regards the technical staff. Are you happy with the changes to your part of the team, starting with the appointment of Pete Benson as your chief mechanics?

Nicky Hayden:
It was HRC who decided to make a series of changes in my working group at the end of last season and I think that they made a good decision. It is not my intention to speak badly about anybody because I think that I've always been surrounded by highly professional people, but maybe I needed a change and be surrounded by younger people, with a fresher mentality. I'm personally happy with the changes made by HRC; I feel good in my team and with the new working group.

Q:
Any mistakes you made last year that you will try to avoid this season?

Nicky Hayden:
Above all, I have to avoid crashing during the race. That's a mistake I cannot make and that I made several times last year. Pushing too hard during the race makes you to end up on the ground; that's something I have to change completely.

Q:
Is Valentino Rossi still one step ahead of the rest of the riders?

Nicky Hayden:
Yes, that's no secret. Our aim is to beat Valentino because he is the current champion in the class, and has been world champion for the last four seasons. Valentino deserves great respect as a rider for all he has achieved, but we must work to get to his level bit by bit and finally manage to beat him.

Q:
What do you think is the secret to beating Rossi?

Nicky Hayden:
Well, it's complicated, very complicated, because with his record it's obvious Valentino has very few weak points. I think that he's a very consistent rider as well as having the advantage of not feeling under pressure by any of us.

I think that the secret lies in putting him under pressure to force him into making a mistake, because when you feel comfortable and you have no pressure, you hardly make mistakes. I think that this is the answer to your question.

Q:
You've had three different team-mates in three seasons at Repsol Honda - how is your relationship with your new team-mate Max Biaggi?

Nicky Hayden:
I'm happy to be in the Repsol Honda Team despite the changes and I only hope I can achieve the necessary results to continue in the best team in the world championship.

As regards my new team-mate, everyone in the paddock has their own opinion about Max, but I respect Max highly as a rider, I think that he's a great rider, very technical and fine on the bike. I only hope to learn as much as possible from him. We're not friends, because we're two very different persons, but our relationship is good.

Q:
What have you been doing away from the race track this winter?

Nicky Hayden:
When I got back home after my last (2004) test in November, the first thing I did was obviously take a couple of days to rest and relax. I also spent a couple of weeks without getting on a bike, away from races, wheels and engines... Before that I had to go to Japan for some days for some public relations activities for Honda, but then I spent time disconnecting at home, with my family and friends.

The period without physical activity also helped me to finish recovering from the knee injury. Then I went back to activity, the working sessions with my physiotherapist - the same as (AMA Supercross/Motocross star) Ricky Carmichael's - restarted and I moved to Florida for a couple of days to train with Ricky, and enjoy some good weather there.

Q:
If I say Laguna Seca, what springs to mind?

Nicky Hayden:
Laguna Seca will be an absolute high, a great party, a wonderful weekend for me. My friends, my family... all of them will be there, and racing at home, in front of your fans, is one of the best things that can happen to a MotoGP rider, something that I'll finally be able to enjoy this season.

I also think, looking at it as a whole, that the grand prix will be good for our sport and especially for the American fans. I can't help getting a big smile when I think about Laguna Seca, it will be a great party for us.

Q:
You know the Laguna Seca circuit very well, and it's a fairly unique layout, do you think you'll have much of an advantage?

Nicky Hayden:
I don't think that MotoGP riders are going to have trouble getting used to Laguna Seca. This is the world championship, they are the best, we're not talking about training races, so I don't think that they will have any trouble adapting to the layout to be competitive.

Besides, some of them, like Alex Barros, have already raced in Laguna Seca. And let's not forget that there are other North American riders that will also be very fast there... But again, the most important thing for me will be racing in front of my people and doing a good race.