MotoGP™ Legenad Nicky Hayden moved to WorldSBK for 2016, riding for Honda World Superbike Team alongside Michael van der Mark. Making a one-off comeback – seemingly – at the Aragon GP to replace injured Jack Miller at Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS, Hayden has now been given a second opportunity to visit the MotoGP™ paddock, this time in the Repsol Honda colours in which he took the premier class crown in 2006.
“It's crazy how things and life can work out at times,” Hayden told WorldSBK.com. “Luckily I got a really nice opportunity like this and there was no way that I could say no to it! I'm a bit of a softie and when you're called with an opportunity to ride a factory bike, particularly at a circuit like Phillip Island, it's something special for any rider. For me it was impossible to say no and you just drop everything and try and find flights and a way to make it happen!
“I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I know Philip Island very well and I know that the weather and the tyres are the crucial things for that track so we'll see how the weekend goes. I know how hard this weekend is going to be. I saw first hand at Aragon just how fast the MotoGP boys still are but this is a great opportunity to have some fun and try and learn some stuff. The most important thing is to try and get a good result for Honda because for me, it's great that after all these years our relationship is still so strong that they'd ask me to do this race.”