BMW M AWARD 2006 GOES TO AMERICAN MOTOGP RIDER NICKY HAYDEN

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BMW M AWARD 2006 GOES TO AMERICAN MOTOGP RIDER NICKY HAYDEN
November 2, 2006 - BMW Motorcycle Press Release



First prize of a BMW Z4 M Coupé for the fastest qualifier of the current season.

Munich. MotoGP pilot Nicky Hayden from the USA has won this year's BMW M Award and takes home his first prize of a BMW Z4 M Coupé. BMW M has supplied this attractive motor car as the prize for the rider in the motorcycle Grand Prix achieving the fastest average qualifying time over all 18 training heats held throughout the 2006 MotoGP season. The president of BMW M GmbH, Professor Ulrich Bruhnke, presented Nicky Hayden with his new BMW Z4 M Coupé at the final heat of the season in Valencia, Spain.

Not only does BMW M organise the BMW M Award with its two car prizes, one awarded at the beginning and one at the end of each MotoGP season, but since 1999, it has also been supplying the official fleet of safety cars, in the form of two 507 bhp BMW M5 and M6 models, a further four service vehicles, and the staff cars for the MotoGP organisation. The MotoGP races attract an average of 300 million television spectators throughout the world and up to 250,000 spectators watching the events unfold live.

Before Valencia: 6.6 ahead of the next-placed rider in the Qualifier

Nicky Hayden, the Kentucky Kid, as he is often referred to, has had an excellent season in the MotoGP 2006. Taking all the qualifying rounds into account, he has ended the year a total of 6.6 seconds ahead of his compatriot, Colin Edwards. In previous years, the difference between the first and second placed riders was generally no more than two seconds.

The BMW photograph enclosed shows Nicky Hayden (right/left) being presented with the keys to his BMW Z4 Coupé from Professor Ulrich Bruhnke, president of BMW M GmbH.

For further information, please see the special chapter entitled BMW Safety Cars in the MotoGP, the Motorcycle Grand Prix.