A long MotoGP season is finally over, although to be fair it ended with something of a damp squib at Valencia. There have been a few GPs this year where qualifying has been more exciting than the race itself and this was one of them! With Valentino Rossi down in tenth on the grid we knew we were guaranteed plenty of action on Sunday but unfortunately it all happened over the opening couple of laps and by the time he got up to third place it was all over. As a television commentator it was a really difficult one to call – one of those races that’s more interesting to watch on the timing screens than the images on screen! In any case, it was a great finish to the season for Casey and an impressive ride for Dani in only his fifth race on Bridgestone tyres.

In many ways the race was almost a sub-plot to the most eagerly anticipated event at Valencia, which was the test that took place the following day when all the boys came back out to play with their new toys. When I walked into the Ducati garage on Monday morning and saw Nicky Hayden’s stars and stripes livery I didn’t know whether to admire it or salute it! It looked awesome though and it showed how keen Ducati were to make Nicky feel welcome, as was the big hug team boss Livio Suppo gave him when he arrived at the back of the garage for the first time.

The livery was also a fitting, if coincidental, symbol of how important the US market is to the factory and what a great success Nicky’s signing could be for them off the track. On the track a lot of people said his riding style would suit the Ducati because he likes a bike to be loose underneath him. It seems people thought he could jump on the bike and go fast but personally I think he is going to have to change a few things. In fact, Nicky’s first comment when he got off the bike was: “Whatever they pay Casey, it’s not enough.” He knows it’s not easy and he has a lot of work to do.

One of Nicky’s strong points is that he can ride a MotoGP bike well when tyre performance goes down, or in the rain, because he is so comfortable and so capable with it sliding around. He is also one of the more vocal riders on the issue of reducing traction control, but contrary to what some people think those Ducatis don’t slide. It is very quick to respond and it is snappy but for all its power it has an excellent electronic package that keeps those two wheels in line.

Basically the Desmosedici works by getting it to full throttle as soon as possible and letting the electronics do the rest. That’s easier said than done and so far only Casey has been able to do it consistently. The final turn at Valencia was the clearest example. Over the course of the weekend everybody had enjoyed seeing Nicky light the Honda up around that long left-hander but you only had to see him through there on Monday to see that the Ducati doesn’t allow him to do it because it has a much more narrow power band.

Either he has to change his approach or Ducati do, but I can’t see the latter happening because the engine is one of their strongest points. Having said that, Ducati do have a responsibility to make all their bikes easier to ride otherwise they’ll have four riders struggling this season instead of three. Niccolo Canepa is new to almost every circuit and Mika Kallio is also a MotoGP rookie, so I think Sete Gibernau’s feedback in particular will be crucial in getting the bike to fit different styles.

The good thing for Nicky is that he seems to be getting on very well with his new team-mate. Casey and Nicky are both good guys with similar backgrounds and, crucially, they speak the same language (literally and in their approach to racing!).

While on subject of Ducati, I had the chance to go down to Portimao this weekend for the final round of the World Superbikes. I had actually been invited down to ride the bikes in the journalists’ test on Monday but I decided to go on Saturday because I really wanted to see Troy Bayliss’ swansong.

The weekend got off to the perfect start when I boarded my flight from Lisbon to Faro. The captain was a huge bike fan and he recognised me, and asked if I wanted to ride up front with him in the cockpit! He lived near Estoril and he was really excited about the race at Portimao, so on the way down he got permission to deviate slightly from his normal route and fly over the circuit. He made an announcement over the tannoy, telling everybody to look out of the window, and did a huge sweep over the track! It looked amazing and the circuit itself was just as impressive at ground level. In terms of spectator viewing, safety and downright excitement, it is one of the best I have seen. It is in a beautiful setting down on the Algarve and the most remarkable thing is they built it in just eight months.

It was the perfect backdrop to the final race for a true legend and there was no anti-climax about Troy’s performance – he dominated the whole weekend. It was actually quite surreal to be out there on the grid with him at the start. I stood there and watched Fonsi Nieto come over to shake his hand and wish him all the best. Michel Fabrizio then followed suit, before Michael Schumacher came and did the same. It was really moving and his wife Kim, who was his umbrella girl, had tears in her eyes.

When you talk about never-say-die racers, Troy is one of the best there’s been. One of the most memorable races in recent MotoGP history was when he came back as a wildcard at Valencia in 2006 and wiped the floor with everybody. For all his success in Superbikes, that race in particular was a measure of his talent, class and – more than anything – his determination. I think it is every racer’s dream to end his career by standing on the top step of the podium with his kids and Troy was deservedly able to do it. It was very special and in true Troy style there was no fanfare or huge party. He left that evening pretty much via the back door to attend to a Ducati dealers’ dinner in Bologna. A true professional.