Things happen in racing that I can’t talk about and it happens

Ok Hayden hints that he had no choice then suffs it out it was their choice:
Did he or didn't he get forced to ride the 2007 spec bike.


What's embarrassing or at least it should be is that the Honda Rookies were out performing him on the same machinery..

Anyways can we read anything between the lines from Nicky's statement?


LINK

Jerez MotoGP: Nicky Hayden accepts 2007 Honda choice was mistake
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

27 March 2008 18:03



American Nicky Hayden has conceded that his gamble to race Honda’s 2007 factory RC212V in the season’s opening race backfired.

The 2006 premier class world champion slumped to 10th place under Qatar’s floodlights, while Repsol team-mate Dani Pedrosa claimed third as he opted to run Honda’s latest spec machine.

Nicky Hayden, who will use a 2008 Honda RC212V in this weekend’s first European clash of the season in Jerez, admitted his choice to ride the old bike was a mistake, but denied he had been pressured by HRC management into riding last year’s V4.

Hayden said: “It’s old news and it was a team decision. Things happen in racing that I can’t talk about and it happens.

“For whatever reason that was the choice we made. You can put it on me if you want but for whatever reason that was the way we ended up going.

“It probably wasn’t a great decision but at the time it was what the team felt was best.

“I wasn’t required to ride the old bike but they showed up and worked hard to get them there and they wanted to try them.”

God only knows the truth, all we do is speculate.

One thing we can be sure of is that we are seeing an example of a team not working at its best. Its a shame for all concerened and i hope they can all improve.

i thought he had to use the 2007 bike because Pedrosa crashed his 2008 bike, and then Pedrosa got the Hayden 2008 bike for the race

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexdeAngelis-Fan @ Mar 28 2008, 09:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i thought he had to use the 2007 bike because Pedrosa crashed his 2008 bike, and then Pedrosa got the Hayden 2008 bike for the race
I think that was a conspiracy theory matey.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexdeAngelis-Fan @ Mar 28 2008, 09:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i thought he had to use the 2007 bike because Pedrosa crashed his 2008 bike, and then Pedrosa got the Hayden 2008 bike for the race

I thought the same thing......

I don't know what is what. Reading between the lines it sound like he did. But then you have the "We chose to use the 2007 bike".... I don't buy it.

Pedrosa runs the roost as the HRC #1 and Nicky is just the test rider.
It saddens me. I really like the guy. He can ride and is an all around nice guy. I guess he needs an alberto Puig is his corner or he is going nowhere.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Duc999 @ Mar 28 2008, 09:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I thought the same thing......

I don't know what is what. Reading between the lines it sound like he did. But then you have the "We chose to use the 2007 bike".... I don't buy it.

Pedrosa runs the roost as the HRC #1 and Nicky is just the test rider.
It saddens me. I really like the guy. He can ride and is an all around nice guy. I guess he needs an alberto Puig is his corner or he is going nowhere.
According to this Nicky still only has one "new '08".


Keep in mind that there are old and new 08s. The choice in Qatar could have been between old '08 and '07. He could have been forced to give up his new '08 (if he had one) and still had a "choice" between an older-spec 08 and the 07 bike. It's not just whether he had a choice, it's what that choice was.

Or the whole thing could be a steaming pile of reporter-invented ..... It's not like any of us really know.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 27 2008, 08:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>God only knows the truth, all we do is speculate.Agreed. Although, now I am leaning more towards Jumkie's initial assessent that Honda was not given a choice to ride the 2008 at Qatar. There seems to be a disconnect between what Hayden is saying and what the Honda Manager said a few weeks ago.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Duc999 @ Mar 27 2008, 08:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ok Hayden hints that he had no choice then suffs it out it was their choice:
Did he or didn't he get forced to ride the 2007 spec bike.


What's embarrassing or at least it should be is that the Honda Rookies were out performing him on the same machinery..

I was really pissed about it after Qatar, but is it really that embarrassing? Nicky has probably been riding a machine with new spec equipment for 6 or 7 months. He's been riding the 08/07 for 4 or 5 months straight. Is it really that surprising he doesn't remember exactly how that bike feels when you have it set up properly?

He still shouldn't have been beaten like a rented mule, but 10th is 10th whether you lose by 5 seconds or 50.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (crvlvr @ Mar 28 2008, 08:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Agreed. Although, now I am leaning more towards Jumkie's initial assessent that Honda was not given a choice to ride the 2008 at Qatar. There seems to be a disconnect between what Hayden is saying and what the Honda Manager said a few weeks ago.

I'm not an attention whore, but I think we all know who started the "I apologize to Nicky" thread.

I have no thoughts on what happened because to me it would be pure speculation but one thing is for sure when he says, "Things happen in racing that I can’t talk about and it happens. "
That means something happened that was out of his hands that pissed him off.
Clearly all is not well at HRC

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnnyKnockdown @ Mar 28 2008, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I have no thoughts on what happened because to me it would be pure speculation but one thing is for sure when he says, "Things happen in racing that I can’t talk about and it happens. "
That means something happened that was out of his hands that pissed him off.
Clearly all is not well at HRC

Well said JohnnyKnockoff. That is the quote that keeps me thinking something is fishy. But hey I am a fan and I think there is nothing that can't be talked about, c'mon Nicky just come out and say what Stoner said about Honda. They are messing with you man.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Mar 29 2008, 12:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well said JohnnyKnockoff. That is the quote that keeps me thinking something is fishy. But hey I am a fan and I think there is nothing that can't be talked about, c'mon Nicky just come out and say what Stoner said about Honda. They are messing with you man.
“I really like it,” said the Kentucky rider.

“It has a lot better feel on the front, which we’d lost with the old chassis. I actually enjoyed myself out there again.

“I liked the feel of the new chassis and it helped me from the beginning. I always felt this would be a good direction.

Contrary to what has been said. I think that we can read between the lines. Hayden is laying it out there very diplomatically. He is not bashing HRC but he is letting it be known that HRC is still treating him very differently from Pedrosa.

--------------------------------------------------------
This was hayden commenting on the new bike that he has acces to this weekend. He still seems to be testing... Pedrosa seems to be locked and loaded with no flip flop between bike etc....

I am being to not like HRC and its politics....
Putting that aside... I am wondering about the financials...
------------------------------------------------------------
There has to be a rationale as to why Hayden continues to get the shaft while Pedrosa continues to smell sweet like honey.

The only thing that makes sense to me is MONEY. Thus can someone with a little or intimate knowledge of the Spanish market vs the American market for HRC explain it to me. Because if the American market is bigger, I don't quited get why HRC would invest money, time and extreme efforts in Pedrosa when Hayden has brought you the championship.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Duc999 @ Mar 29 2008, 03:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The only thing that makes sense to me is MONEY. Thus can someone with a little or intimate knowledge of the Spanish market vs the American market for HRC explain it to me. Because if the American market is bigger, I don't quited get why HRC would invest money, time and extreme efforts in Pedrosa when Hayden has brought you the championship.
From my understanding, Repsol is huge in Spain. More than just oil and lube like here in the states, fueling stations and the works. But all that aside I think the special treatment card gets thrown around a bit much. I think it comes down to a combination of Hayden and his crew not being stubborn enough to say 'No' to HRC and a lack of confidence in his garage on which direction to take in development.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 29 2008, 08:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>From my understanding, Repsol is huge in Spain. More than just oil and lube like here in the states, fueling stations and the works. But all that aside I think the special treatment card gets thrown around a bit much. I think it comes down to a combination of Hayden and his crew not being stubborn enough to say 'No' to HRC and a lack of confidence in his garage on which direction to take in development.

I think Hayden pays the price for being a nice guy sometimes.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 29 2008, 09:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think Hayden pays the price for being a nice guy sometimes.


I think it's happened too often to Hayden Tom. As much as I take the piss, I'd love to see him get some more wins under his belt. It's never good to see an ex champ doing so little after his championship season.

Pete

Why dont Honda realise its this kind of mentality that lost them Rossi,Edwards etc etc and if Nicky see's sense will see them lose another World Champion at the end of this season?!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 29 2008, 12:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>From my understanding, Repsol is huge in Spain. More than just oil and lube like here in the states, fueling stations and the works. But all that aside I think the special treatment card gets thrown around a bit much. I think it comes down to a combination of Hayden and his crew not being stubborn enough to say 'No' to HRC and a lack of confidence in his garage on which direction to take in development.
Hi Austin. Where have you been man?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thom @ Mar 29 2008, 05:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Why dont Honda realise its this kind of mentality that lost them Rossi,Edwards etc etc and if Nicky see's sense will see them lose another World Champion at the end of this season?!

Because this mentality also made them the most successful factory in the history of grand prix bike racing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 29 2008, 06:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Because this mentality also made them the most successful factory in the history of grand prix bike racing.
In that it lost them Rossi and nearly all 3 remaining 990cc Championships!?