I thought this was rather funny! Poor Nicky must be sick of personal questions!

Press opportunities held away from the racetrack often see reporters from a range of publications invited to interview MotoGP riders to raise wider publicity for an upcoming race.

That in turn means the riders often face questions about subjects other than racing and, during last Wednesday’s press event at the Lords cricket ground, this light-hearted exchange took place between 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden and a non-motorsports reporter.

It’s safe to say Nicky would rather have been talking racing…

Quite a few of the girls were excited about you coming here. What do you think of that side of the sport?

Hayden:
Yeah, I mean I don’t [laughs nervously]. I’m not a playboy or nothing, I’m just into racing… I mean, any guy that says they don’t like [the attention] would be lying somewhat, but I don’t get too caught up in that part of it.

Is there a Mrs Hayden?

No, no. Single. [Pause]. Make sure you print that too: ‘Single’. Don’t leave that part out!

Single and looking?

Yeah [shrugs] I’m a 28-year-old guy. I mean, I’m not out looking with a flashlight, scraping every street up and down or anything!

Not yet?

No… but, you know.