Nicky Hayden: Marquez ‘reset the bar’ in 2013

Former premier class world champion Nicky Hayden reckons new Repsol Honda golden boy Marc Marquez ‘reset the bar’ in the 2013 MotoGP world championship.

Marquez ended a record-breaking first season in MotoGP by becoming the first rookie to capture the title since Kenny Roberts in 1978 when he took a safe third spot at the final round in Valencia earlier this month.

With six wins in his first campaign on the factory RC213V, Marquez also beat Freddie Spencer’s record to become the youngest rider in history to life the MotoGP title.

Before Marquez, the last rider to clinch the title in a dramatic final round decider was Kentucky star Hayden, who took the crown from Valentino Rossi at Valencia back in 2006.

Hayden also took his title in the famous Repsol livery and he told MCN: “I’m not sure what else you can say about that guy. He’s done all the right things this year.

He’s made some mistakes in practice but in the races he learned from them and not really made any mistakes and he’s got really no weak spots for a rookie. It takes most of them a while to understand how to qualify better or about tyre management and he is already got a good handle on everything. He really reset the bar.”

Hayden made his debut on the new production Honda RCV1000R in Valencia last week but was prevented from commenting on the bike publicly while still contracted to Ducati’s factory squad.