Torrance, CA: In late 2013, American Honda was presented with an opportunity to bring Nicky Hayden back to the Honda family, and renew our relationship that started in 1999 when Hayden was just 17. By retaining Hayden’s services to ride the Honda RCV1000R in the MotoGP World Championship series for the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, American Honda is also now a proud sponsor of the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team, and looks forward to this new relationship with a team that has proven results.
“Nicky has been in the Honda family for much of his professional career, starting here in the States where he won two AMA championships before earning a spot on the Honda Repsol factory MotoGP team in 2003,” said Bob Gurga, Vice President American Honda Motorcycle Division. “He is a great ambassador for our sport, and we couldn’t be happier to have him back in the Honda family.”
His first MotoGP season (2003) saw Hayden finish fifth in the championship on the Repsol Honda RC211V and win Rookie of the Year honors. “The Kentucky Kid” continued to learn the MotoGP ropes in 2004 and 2005, and in 2006 achieved a lifelong dream of becoming the MotoGP world champion. Hayden stayed with Repsol Honda, helping the team develop the new 800cc RC212V through the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
With three MotoGP wins, 28 podium finishes and a world championship on his mantel, Hayden’s return to Honda for the 2014 MotoGP season aboard the production RCV1000R is a homecoming that Honda fans will be celebrating when Hayden rolls onto an American track on a Honda for the first time in years at the Circuit of the Americas MotoGP, April 11 – 13. It will be a homecoming you won’t want to miss.
