Nicky Hayden crash latest: Live updates and investigation on MotoGP legend's condition

Nicky Hayden latest news

Sunday 21st March

12:10: Nicky Hayden’s crash in Italy is being investigated. The deputy prosecutor in Rimini, Paolo Gengarelli, has opened a file on the incident.

He has appointed police road expert Orlando Omicini to reconstruct the exact dynamics of the accident.

As stated yesterday, it is not known what speed the driver of the Peugeot was travelling at when he collided with Hayden.

The driver took a breathalyser test and was found not to have exceeded the alcohol limit.

There are reports that Hayden may have had earphones at the time of the collision – although those have not been confirmed.

The police reconstruction report is expected to be ready by mid-July.

The report is expected to focus on the speed of the car in the hope of establishing what happened.

The stretch of road where Hayden was knocked over has a 50km/ph speed limit.

11:40: Nicky Hayden is not the only motorcyclist currently receiving treatment at Cesena’s Bufalini hospital.

Italian rider Simone Mazzola on Friday was taken to the hospital after falling off his Team Kymco Oral Racing bike at the Misano World Circuit during Supersport 300 practice.

Mazzola was immediately taken to the hospital’s spinal trauma department.

San Marino publication Libertas say the 21-year-old is in a critical condition.

And it is claimed another, unnamed, rider was airlifted to the hospital after falling off his bike at the circuit yesterday.

11:10: Nicky Hayden’s situation “remains very critical” in hospital following his crash, Honda WSBK have announced.

In a statement at noon Italian time, Hayden’s team said: “Update 21 May @ 12pm from Bufalini hospital in Cesena – Nicky Hayden’s condition remains very critical & the clinical picture is unchanged”.

11:00: Nicky Hayden’s family are hoping to send his medical test results to an American specialist.

Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino report that Hayden’s family are with him at the Cesena hospital where he is being looked after.

And it is claimed Hayden’s older brother Tommy wants to send all the results from his tests to a US specialist for additional consultation.

10:30: Nicky Hayden’s family have released a statement via the MotoGP legend’s lawyer, Moreno Maresi.

“We thank the many sportspeople and ordinary people who are providing a great closeness at this dramatic moment. In particular we thank the medical and first aid staff who have worked and are working on Nicky.”

09:22: Nicky Hayden’s family on Friday spoke of their pain following a sick report posted online that wrongly claimed the ex-MotoGP star has died.

The headline on the site – which we have chosen not to name – reads: “Ex-MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden is Dead | BREAKING NEWS.”

But the story is totally made up and the family have come out to put the record straight following Hayden’s bike crash on Wednesday.

08:55: The latest is thus… There are continuing sick rumours on Twitter circulating that the former MotoGP star has died – and that a statement has been issued by his family.

This is untrue. No statement has been released and the hospital have released no official update on his condition.

Tweets are continuing to come in wishing Hayden the best in his recovery as the motorsport world keeps everything crossed.

Saturday 20 May

18:00: NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has revealed Hayden’s signature number, No. 69, will be featured on his car at the Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend.

“We’re really concerned, but just hoping he can heal,” he said.

“I really don’t have a correct line of communication to anyone in his circle, but we just want to be able to show our support for his family and all those people who are affected by his accident. 

“It’s got to be incredibly difficult for them to be a half a world away from their homes with him trying to get through what’s going on.”

14:50: Contrary to reports on social media Nicky Hayden has not died. A statement from the Cesena hospital where he is being treated this morning confirmed (10:50) the MotoGP legend is in a “critical” condition.

14:40: The driver of the car that collided with MotoGP legend Nicky Hayden was NOT over the alcohol limit.

Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino confirm the driver, 30, took a breathalyser and toxicology tests are expected to arrive in the coming days.

The driver’s father is said to have requested to meet with Hayden’s family in order to express their support for the biking legend.

Deputy prosecutor Paolo Gengarelli has opened a case to investigate the road traffic incident.

The magistrate will seek advice from experts before coming to a conclusion on what happened in the accident.

It is yet to be calculated what speed the Peugeot was traveling when the collision happened.

It is claimed – but not confirmed – that 36-year-old Hayden was listening to music through earphones.

14:30: A quick MotoGP update to give you. Tributes for Nicky Hayden have been flooding in all day during French MotoGP qualifying at Le Mans.

And the Yamahas once again dominated in qualifying.

Maverick Vinales starts on pole for tomorrow’s race, ahead of Italy’s Valentino Rossi.

Frenchman Johann Zarco is third on the grid, with Brit Cal Crutchlow fourth in his LCR Honda.

French MotoGP qualifying results:

1. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 

2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 

3. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 

4. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda 

5. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team 

6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team

7. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing

8. Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

9. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15)

10. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 

11. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 

12. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing 

Qualifying 1:

13. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team

14. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team

15. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3

16. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team

17. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar

18. Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini

19. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing

20. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing

21. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini

22. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS

23. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Team Suzuki Ecstar

11:15 Maurizio Bufalini Hospital

Nicky Hayden remains in the intensive care until at the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena.

The hospital is located around 2km from Cesena’s central train station and Pizza Sanguinetti.

It has seven clinical departments with a total of 505 beds, of which 462 are inpatient and 43 for outpatients.

Since 2002 the hospital has been used as a trauma centre for the Greater Romagna area, which covers the cities of Ravenna, Forli, Cesena and Rimini.

Its specialist functions include: ICUs and Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology, Burns  and Maxillofacial Surgery.

10:50 Doctors at the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena have released a statement on Nicky Hayden’s condition this morning.

Hayden remains in a critical condition after he was involved in a crash with a car while cycling in Italy.

Italian website Corse Di Moto, a sister site of newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, report that an update on Hayden has been given.

“Nicky Hayden clinical conditions are always very serious,” the statement read.

“The overall clinical picture remains unchanged. He is still hospitalised in the intensive care unit of the hospital Bufalini in Cesena.”

09:15: Nicky Hayden remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena in Italy have not provided any further updates since last night’s statement.

Further information on his condition is expected later today as fans use the hashtags #gonicky and #keepfightingnicky to show their support to the MotoGP legend.

03.10: Nicky Hayden’s father, Earl, has been unable to join his wife and son in Italy due to his own medical issues.

But he has been keeping up to date on Nicky’s condition from his home in Kentucky.

However, the ‘fake news’ online is reportedly adding to his pain.

Earl Hayden told Roadracing World that the family has issued no statement that Hayden has died, although he is on life support.

It was claimed Hayden was with a group of 14 riders when the incident happened. This is not true.

Nor is it true that doctors performed surgery on the MotoGP legend and that he has not been in an induced coma.

Friday May 19

20.00: The Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena (Italy), where Nicky Hayden is currently in intensive care, released the following statement at 19.45 local time (GMT+2):

“The clinical picture of Nicky Hayden remains unchanged. His condition is still extremely critical.

“He is still in the intensive care unit of Cesena’s Maurizio Bufalini Hospital and the prognosis stays reserved.”

18.05: Video has emerged – shown above – of the moment police attended the scene minutes after Nicky Hayden was knocked off his bike.

The footage shows a huge dent and a smashed windscreen on the passenger side of a black Peugeot 207CC.

Police then arrive at the scene and are seen taking pictures of the footwell.

Discarded on the side of the road is the bike Hayden was riding when he was knocked off.

Police quickly blocked off the road and are visible directing traffic away from the crash site.

The hazard lights of the vehicle that hit Hayden off, meanwhile, are flashing.

16:35: If you don’t know who Nicky Hayden is, here’s a bit of info to help you. Put simply, he’s a former Moto GP great.

Hayden is a 35-year-old motorbike rider who is nicknamed The Kentucky Kid. His career high so far came in 2006 when he won his only MotoGP championship.

In the process he prevented Valentino Rossi from winning a sixth successive title.

Hayden was born in Owensboro in Kentucky and his talent was there for all to see early on.

At the age of just 17, he was racing factory Honda RC45 Sperbikes while still at school. It proved to be the first glimpse of his enormous talent.

He started his MotoGP career with Honda in 2003 immediately after winning the AMA Superbike championship. It was there, in his fourth year in 2006, that he won the title ahead of Valentino Rossi.

Hayden stayed for a couple more years before moving to Ducati in 2009 – and then back to Honda in 2014.

In 2016, he returned to the Superbike World Championship with the Ten Kate Racing-run Honda squad, now known as the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team.

14:35: There’s been no updates for a few hours from the hospitals but the understanding is that Hayden has suffered “severe brain damage”.

We’ll have more as the news comes into us at Express Sport.

12:45: The messages of support for Nicky Hayden are flooding in on Twitter.

Hundreds of fans have tweeted the man himself with goodwill messages following the latest update from the Honda team.

The motorsport world and beyond are all right behind the Kentucky Kid.

12.30 Nicky Hayden has suffered severe brain damage and remains in an extremely critical condition in hospital following Wednesday’s accident.

Hayden, 35, was hit by a car while cycling in Italy. His family are by his side in hospital.

Hayden’s Honda WSBK team released a statement saying: “Nicky Hayden’s clinical condition remains extremely critical.

“The young man, who is still in the intensive care unit of Cesena’s Bufalini Hospital, has suffered a serious polytrauma with subsequent serious cerebral damage.

“The prognosis remains reserved.”

Polytrauma is a medical term to describe the condition of a person who has multiple traumatic injuries.

Tributes and messages of support have poured in for the MotoGP racer nicknamed the ‘The Kentucky Kid’.

Current MotoGP riders Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have all sent their best wishes to the 35-year-old on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Friends star and racing enthusiast Matt LeBlanc tweeted: “Everyone please say a prayer for Nicky. He’s a fighter. @NickyHayden God Bless.”

Hayden’s sister has sent her support via social media, tweeting: “My brother is a fighter”.

Ten-time Le Mans racer Johnny Mowlem tweeted his support saying: “Thoughts with you mate #keepfighting #fingersareallcrossed”.

11.30: More support has poured in for Nicky Hayden as he remains in critical condition in hospital.

Ten-time Le Mans racer Johnny Mowlem tweeted his support saying: “Thoughts with you mate #keepfighting #fingersareallcrossed”

10am: MotoGP’s official twitter account has delivered the latest update on Nicky Hayden: he remains in an extremely serious condition in the Intensive Care unit in hospital. 

The prognosis remains guarded.

Hayden was hit by a car while cycling in Italy on Wednesday night and has been put into an induced coma.

Support has flooded in for the former MotoGP champion and his family remain by his side in hospital.

9am: Nicky Hayden’s sister has sent her support via social media, tweeting: “My brother is a fighter”.

Hayden’s situation remains critical and his family are by his side in hospital following the accident on Wednesday night.

7.30: Nicky Hayden has suffered severe brain damage and his condition is “extremely critical” after being hit by a car while cycling in eastern Italy.

Honda quoted Cesena’s Maurizio Bufalini hospital as saying the 35-year-old had “a serious polytrauma with subsequent serious cerebral damage”.

Doctors had placed the 2006 MotoGP champion, known as “The Kentucky Kid”, into a medically induced coma after the incident on Wednesday.

Hayden was taken to the hospital after being struck by a car while training on his bicycle along Italy’s Adriatic coast following a weekend Superbike race at the Imola circuit.

Honda said he was taken initially by ambulance to a hospital near the coastal resort of Rimini before then being transferred to Cesena.

Hayden’s fiancee Jackie and team members had been joined at his bedside by brother Tommy and mother Rose who flew in from the United States.

5.50: People came together in Hayden’s hometown of Owensboro in Kentucky on Thursday night.

A mass was held for him at Precious Blood Catholic Church, where his Hayden’s uncle was in attendance.

He said: “It’s starting to sink in a little bit of how grave the situation may be,” said Hayden. “It takes several hours to grasp the impact of it all. At first, you’re just in shock. It’s difficult to be logical.”

His uncle added doctors there have determined that Nicky has very little brain activity and therefore isn’t strong enough to undergo certain procedures.

3:20: Racing enthusiast Matt LeBlanc has paid tribute, tweeting his message of support to Hayden.

He posted: “Everyone please say a prayer for Nicky. He’s a fighter. @NickyHayden God Bless.”

Thursday May 18

21:45: Tributes flood in from fans around the world as we await further news on his Hayden’s condition.

People have been tweeting their support using the hashtag #GoNicky on Twitter.

16:25: Former MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden remains in intensive care in an Italian hospital after being injured in a cycling accident.

The 35-year-old American, who currently races for the Red Bull Honda World Superbike team, was hurt while on a training exercise along the Rimini coastline when his bicycle was in collision with a car.

He had competed in the Superbike World Championship races at Imola last weekend.

Hayden, from Owensboro, Kentucky, was treated at the scene before being taken to a nearby hospital. 

He was later transferred to the Bufalini hospital in Cesena, where he is now.

15:00: Hayden’s Red Bull team have issued a statement. It reads: “Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team rider Nicky Hayden was involved in an incident while cycling near Rimini, Italy yesterday afternoon.

“Following the incident, Nicky was treated on site by medical staff and then taken by ambulance to a hospital near Rimini for immediate treatment. Once Nicky’s condition was stabilised, he was transferred to Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena and remains in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

“Members of Nicky’s team and his fiancee are with him in the hospital.

“We would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and messages of support and the assistance of emergency and medical services. Once an official statement regarding Nicky’s condition is released by the hospital or Nicky’s family, a further update from the team will be issued.”

13:00: Pictures of the Nicky Hayden crash have emerged, featuring a dark car with a cracked windscreen.

11:25: Valentino Rossi, who Hayden narrowly beat to win the 2006 MotoGP world title, has sent a goodwill message to his old rival.

Rossi wrote on his Instagram account: “Nicky is one of the best friends I’ve ever had in the paddock.”

Rossi, a team-mate of Hayden’s when they rode for both Repsol Honda and later Ducati, added: “The most beautiful thing I have about him is when he gave his hand to me after the unlucky race of Valencia 2015, on the lap of honour. For him it was his farewell to MotoGP, I had just lost the world (title). (The) supporting look inside his helmet is one of the few positive memories I have of that day. For Nicky, we’re all with you.”

Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez has tweeted a picture with Hayden and wrote: “My thoughts are with you.”