Why?

Why did HRC pick young Nicky Hayden at the beginning of 2003 to be in the factory honda motogp team?

The way i see it, at the end of 2002 you had an american world superbike champion, and an american national superbike champion. Why pick a new national champion over a two-times world champion?

His age? Sponsorship issues?

IIRC Honda wanted him to ride for a satellite Honda team, but Yamaha offered him a works bike so Honda had to counterattack that offer and gave him an HRC seat.

Teo's got it spot on. I'm a Nicky fan and I still believe he took Colin's ride. I think both would have been better off had it worked out in its original theory. Edwards to team with Rossi at Repsol Honda and Nicky to team with Kato at Gresini Honda or Ukawa at Pons Honda, preferrably at Gresini.

In 2003 a sattellite Honda ride would be better than a factory Yamaha ride anyway. Especially for a rookie. Only reason to go to the Yamaha team would be the paycheque in my opinion. Only after Rossi jumped ship did the M1 really become competitve. And even then riders of Colin Edwards calibre have trouble putting it on the podium

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (richo @ May 13 2006, 09:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>In 2003 a sattellite Honda ride would be better than a factory Yamaha ride anyway. Especially for a rookie. Only reason to go to the Yamaha team would be the paycheque in my opinion. Only after Rossi jumped ship did the M1 really become competitve. And even then riders of Colin Edwards calibre have trouble putting it on the podium
yea just look at the time melandri had on it!

looks like,for whatever reason they brought him in,they are getting payback now ?

Yeah, Nicky was definately a long-term investment.