One of three riders on the current grid to have won the MotoGP World Championship, alongside six-time winner Valentino Rossi and 2007 title winner Casey Stoner, Nicky Hayden is amongst the most high profile riders competing in the premier class.

The American had a long-standing association with Honda, having ridden for the factory since his arrival in MotoGP in 2003. He was thrown in at the deep end, teamed with Rossi for his rookie season, but certainly had the calibre to back up what had seemed like a bold move.

Born in Kentucky and from a family with a strong name in U.S. racing, the 2002 AMA Superbike Champion took some time to find his feet in the premier class, but towards the end of his debut campaign began to show his potential with some electrifying race performances and two podiums in the last four GPs lifting him to an excellent fifth overall. Hayden scored two consecutive podiums in Brazil and Germany in 2004, but his lack of consistency –something that he would later rectify in style- saw him conclude the year in eighth position.

In 2005 his move to become official HRC rider coincided with the return of the World Championship to Laguna Seca. Hayden didn’t squander a rare track knowledge advantage and led the race from start to finish, earning a first MotoGP victory. After that brilliant triumph he assumed a much more active role in the series, and in the following nine Grands Prix stepped onto the podium on five occasions and closed the season in third position overall.

‘The Kentucky Kid’ took his crowning glory in a stunning 2006 season, becoming MotoGP World Champion in the final race of the season at Valencia after a cat-and-mouse year of defending his lead ahead of former teammate Rossi. He stepped onto the top step of the rostrum at Assen and repeated his home triumph at Laguna Seca.

If 2006 represented the best year of Hayden’s MotoGP career to date, 2007 became the unwanted hangover of the celebrations. Incompatibility with the 800cc Honda RC212V, coupled with the dominance of Casey Stoner and a slice of old fashioned bad luck, leave few good memories for the winner of three Grands Prix. A trio of podium finishes sandwiched the crushing disappointment of the U.S. Grand Prix, ruined by a collision with John Hopkins on the opening lap, and Hayden was unable to take a win in his title defending season.

In what was to be a final year as a Honda rider, 2008 saw Hayden pick up his form for the last third of the season despite a heel injury (picked up whilst participating in the ESPN X-Games event). His first podium came at the inaugural Indianapolis round of the World Championship, and he followed the runner-up spot up with third in Australia. By the time of his last ride for Repsol Honda, he was already confirmed as a Ducati factory rider for 2009, teaming up with fellow former World Champion Stoner.