Whenever a racer dies at a young age, the whole motorsport community grieves. And many in the Formula One world still are in a state of shock, as they try to wrap their heads around the death of former MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden.
Every racer understands when they hop on their motorcycle, or inside their car, there’s always a chance they might be seriously injured or killed. However, Hayden’s death has caught so many off guard because he didn’t sustain his injuries while racing for Honda in the FIM Superbike World Championship, but rather while riding his bicycle with his friends.
The situation is all too familiar for people who follow F1. Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher avoided major bodily harm for 20 years during his career, but now is bed-ridden with brain damage he sustained while skiing in the French Alps in 2013.
After news broke of Hayden’s death Monday, many F1 drivers honored him on social media.
Such sad news. One of the nicest men I meet in motor racing. RIP Nicky. https://t.co/ByYD0RdKXO
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) May 22, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUaKAvUATi9/?hl=en
Almost every team paid tribute to the Hayden.
Circuit of the Americas, which hosts the F1 U.S. Grand Prix, also is the venue of MotoGP’s Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. So its post about Hayden included a picture of him riding around COTA with an American flag after the race.
Hayden died Monday at 35 years old, four days after he was struck by a car while riding his bike in Rimini, Italy.
Thumbnail photo via Red Bull Content Pool
