6 years ago, Nicky Hayden left us

Engaged in the World Superbike championship in 2017, Nicky Hayden was hit by a car on May 17 while training on his bike in Italy. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries 5 days later. One of the pilots most appreciated by the public and his peers left the stage.

Nicky Hayden was nicknamed the "Kentucky Kid", in reference to his state of birth. He has been immersed in motorcycles since his early childhood and quickly rose through the ranks to MotoGP in 2003 alongside Valentino Rossi. He managed to postpone the title of World Champion in 2006 by putting an end to the domination of the Italian. To date, he is the last American rider to have won a MotoGP title.

Originally from Owensboro, Nicky Hayden grew up in the pure American tradition of dirt track before taking his first steps in speed. After becoming the youngest rider to win an AMA Superbike title, Hayden made his arrival in the World Championship at the start of 2003. At just 22 years old, he relaxedly donned the cumbersome costume of Valentino Rossi's teammate within the prestigious Repsol Honda team. . Two podiums and a fifth place in the general classification rewarded his Rookie year. The following year, he scored two additional podiums, before finally tasting for the first time the joys of victory at home at Laguna Seca, in July 2005. A great season which put him on the launching pad for the 2006 grand tour .

Solid against king Valentino Rossi, Hayden took ten podiums including two victories, at Assen and again at home in the United States to take the world crown in Valencia while his opponent entered this last race at the head of the Championship.

From 2009 to 2013, Hayden joined the Ducati armada, during which he bagged three additional podiums. After a final season in MotoGP on a Honda Open, Hayden announced his departure for World Superbike, ending a thirteen-year career in MotoGP. Author of a victory at Sepang and three other podiums on his WorldSBK debut, the American returned for two Grands Prix in 2016, replacing Jack Miller at Marc VDS in Aragón then Dani Pedrosa at Repsol Honda at Phillip Island. 

Just like his prestigious teammate and rival Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden was a great car enthusiast and was notably able to test the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Class with David Coulthard in 2011.

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