The countdown is over as the 2015 MotoGP season lights up in Losail
Experienced DRIVE M7 Aspar pair Nicky Hayden and Eugene Laverty excited to begin new challenge under the desert floodlights
After a packed preseason of testing at Sepang and Qatar, this weekend represents the moment of truth for the MotoGP teams and riders as they head back to Losail for the opening round of the 2015 World Championship. The only night race of the season provides a fitting stage for the curtain-raiser to a campaign that promises much, with Marc Márquez defending his title from a hungry pack of experienced and high-quality opposition. The progress made over the winter by Yamaha and Ducati combined with the determination of Jorge Lorenzo and the seemingly eternal youth of Valentino Rossi provide the ingredients for a classic season ahead, with the closeness of the lap times at the last test in Qatar suggesting as much.
The DRIVE M7 Aspar Team is ready to go into battle under the Losail floodlights, with Nicky Hayden all set to start his thirteenth season in MotoGP with the same excitement and anticipation as his first. The ‘Kentucky Kid’ has trained harder than ever over the winter to be ready to compete in the most competitive field in recent MotoGP history, whilst alongside him Eugene Laverty will contest his rookie campaign in the premier-class, having last competed in the smaller Grand Prix categories back in 2007 and 2008. Now a World Supersport and World Superbike race winner, this time the Irishman is here to stay and he is determined to demonstrate his potential from the opening round as he and Hayden compete aboard the new ‘Open’ Hondas.
Nicky Hayden: “The show is about to start and we are ready for a new season. Obviously I am not a rookie any more but I still feel the same level of excitement and I have the same desire as I do every season. We have a huge challenge on our hands so I am looking forward to getting started in the first race of the year. As we have seen during preseason the level in MotoGP this year is extremely high, which I think is a good thing for the championship. I really like the Losail circuit, it is fun to ride. It can be a little dirty at first but the grip improves as the weekend progresses and it is always fun to ride at night. The team have done a great job over the winter and we have made strong progress. Clearly we still need to work on some areas, especially with the electronics, but hopefully I can do a good job in Qatar to make the team and my fans proud.”
Eugene Laverty: “Pre-season testing has gone really well as we’ve made steady progress every time that I’ve ridden the bike. I’ve gelled really well with both the ‘Open’ Honda and the Drive M7 Aspar Team so I’m excited about the challenge that lies ahead of us. The final test at Losail finished really well, which bodes well for round one at the same circuit. It is difficult to say what my goal is in terms of overall position because the field is so strong this season. However, within the ‘Open’ category I want to be fighting for the top three positions from the beginning. I enjoy the Losail circuit and our bike suits the circuit very well so I want to start the season with a strong result.”