Certainly not the way he wished to return to the seat of a Repsol Honda MotoGP bike, but Nicky Hayden will take it. As a result of Dani Pedrosa’s broken collarbone sustained during practice for the Motegi round, Hayden will line up as the teammate of newly crowned MotoGP champ Marc Marquez beginning Friday in Australia.
After years in the Premier class, 2006 MotoGP World champion Hayden has switched to WSB where he also campaigns a Honda. Hayden is excited about his prospects this weekend as reflected in the following statement:
“First of all my best wishes to Dani, I’m sure he will come back stronger than ever like he always does. For me it’s crazy hard work but it’s a chance, ten years after winning my World Title, to get back to my old “dream team”! Doing a week-end in Phillip Island on a factory Honda, it’s pretty emotional for me to even think about it, and I’m very grateful for this opportunity and the trust that Honda gives me. I want also to thank my current team for allowing me to go and do this, and the sponsors. Everybody worked a lot on every detail to make it possible for me so now I’m excited to get on a plane, to get down to Phillip Island and hopefully I can do a good job for the team. Regarding Phillip Island there are two things to always consider, the weather and the tyres but it’s a track I love and I can’t wait to ride the bike there. Let’s get started on Friday morning and go forward”.
See more of MD’s great photography:
It would have been great to see him in Repsol leathers again but just great to see him out there again. Decent qualifying place!
i’m curious…why isn’t he wearing repsol leathers? I’ve seen other replacement/stand in riders wearing team leathers…no? Nicky wore team leathers when he recently rode miller’s Honda no?
Probably not enough advance notice to build a set of leathers, like Barbera last week on the Ducati. I think he may have a set for race day, though…
Wow, should we pray for rain?!
1st practice in wet conditions:
1 – Crutchlow 1:40.9
5 – Marquez 1:41.5
10 – Hayden 1:43.0
Go Nick!!!
Hmmm, it will be interesting to see a factory Repsol RCV fighting for points
Happy for him. I think a top 10 finish would be a “win” for him. Someone else said “pull a Bayliss”, that was incredible when he did that, but I don’t think Nicky is in that class. He’s a quality individual though, and that’s something to be proud of, plus the championship.
It will never happen, but Damn it would be great to see him podium!!!
Think he still fits in his old leathers?…
I’m glad Honda have him a ring. It’s hard to get to the podium on someone else’s bike, but I’d love to see him perform well.
Hayden comes from the school of “point and shoot”. Marquez seems to be a double major, but one of them is “point and shoot”. Hayden may do well with the new factory bits.
This should be fun to watch even if he doesn’t make the podium.
Go Kentucky Kid!!!
“hopefully I can do a good job for the team…” Nicky Hayden is boring. I saw him win at Laguna Seca in 2006 but Rossi received a DNF due to a motorcycle malfunction and I can’t recall the rest of the race because it was that boring.
I was at that race, I didn’t see you there
Wow, 2 Moto GP world champions racing together on the same bikes. Has this ever happened before? Doh, just like Rossi & Lorenzo. Better drink more coffee.
Rossi & Hayden… Stoner & Hayden… Lawson & Rainey…
I’m sure there are more…
Gardner and Lawson
This guy is like a Journeyman for racing motorcycles.
“I’m excited to get on a plane”
The most untrue utterance ever made by any world championship-level motorcycle rider. Especially when that plane is traveling half way around the world.
The one thing these guys hate more than anything is the endless time they’re forced to spend in airports and on airplanes.
Go away
Don’t know why, but that made me laugh.
C’mon. Pull a Bayliss!, Pull a Bayliss!, PULL A FRIGGIN’ BAYLISS!!!!!
I’d like to see Ducati put Chaz Davies on Iannone’s bike this weekend… He might pull a Bayliss!
How about Stoner!!
Hmm… Stoner. He’s that mythical Australian who they say used to be a racer? Naah… I don’t think he exists.
Ducati offered the bike to Stoner. He turned it down.
Sweet! Good luck Nicky!
Not holding out high hopes for Nicky to achieve a podium spot, but glad he gets another ride on the Honda.
After all he’s done for Honda, it’s the least they could do for him.
He certainly can’t do any worse than Aoyama…
We know, the bike, can get on the podium!
Well, that bike has been on the podium only three times this year, and 5 times it’s finished outside the top 5 – and that’s with the “great” Dani Pedrosa aboard. So let’s not expect miracles from Nicky…
depends on which bike you are talking about. Pedrosa used the 2015 spec model (not the 2016 model) to win a couple of races ago.
Not sure which one Hayden will be riding.
Re: “Pedrosa used the 2015 spec model (not the 2016 model) ”
With the rule and tire changes, it’s hard to quantify what that really means, no?