Hayden Signs Off MotoGP Career As Top Open Honda In Valencia
- Nov 9, 2015
- 2 min read
Aspar Honda Team's Nicky Hayden signed off on his time in MotoGP with a seventeenth place finish and top customer Honda honours in Valencia.
The Kentucky-born rider entered the Championship back in 2003 and became World Champion in 2006 after a thrilling season on the Repsol Honda. On the Friday before the race, Hayden was inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame. He'll join the Ten Kate Honda World Superbike squad next year as he begins a new chapter in his racing career.
The race didn't go quite to plan for Nicky after front tyre issues hindered him as the race progressed, but enjoyed a good scrap with the riders around him nonetheless.
Hayden:
“The start was really good. The first few laps weren't too bad, I lost a couple of positions but the bike was working good and I was racing with guys that had been faster than me most of the weekend. Things weren't going so bad, I was really working hard on the brakes an asking a lot of the front tyre but I was getting away with it and the bike stayed consistent. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get into the 32s, which I wanted and needed to, and then the last five or six laps I felt a big drop on the right side of the tyre. The left side was incredibly consistent but the right side felt like it maybe had some cold tears in it, maybe it didn't keep the temperature with the slightly cooler track today. It wasn't spinning so much but entry grip got bad and then it was disappointing with three laps to go to see Barbera come past me on the front straightaway on the inside and then on the next lap Redding came past me on the outside. I'm not happy to lose those positions, although I did manage to get one back on the last lap on Bradl, which was nice.
“It would have been nice to first Open today, we managed it for 27 laps but that's why you've got to do all 30! It's been a great ride to be part of the MotoGP tour for the last thirteen years and to win a world title. For me as a kid growing up at the end of a gravel road in Kentucky proves that, with the right attitude and support, you can turn your dreams into reality. Thanks for the memories!”
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