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Casey Stoner's touching tribute to Nicky Hayden

Aussie MotoGP rider Casey Stoner has paid tribute to former teammate Nicky Hayden, the former world champion who 'never stopped smiling'.

Hayden, nicknamed "the Kentucky kid", died aged 35 on Tuesday after suffering severe cerebral damage and multiple traumatic injuries in an accident in Cesena in northern Italy.

He was riding his bicycle when he was hit by a car and subsequently transported to Bufalini hospital on the Rimini coast last Wednesday.

Stoner was teammates with Hayden when both rode for Honda in 2006, but the Aussie says the late American always had time for him.

Hayden and Stosur. Image: Getty
Hayden and Stosur. Image: Getty

"He always gave me a lot of time," Stoner said on Wednesday. "Even when I was in the lower categories and he was already in MotoGP.

"He was always happy to stop for a chat and that never stopped throughout the whole of his career.

"He never stopped smiling even when times were tough for him.

"He’s somebody that we’re really going to miss, no one ever really had anything bad to say about him."

Motorsport figures Lewis Hamilton, Dani Pedrosa, Marc Marquez, Felipe Massa, Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Cal Crutchlow took to social media following the news of Hayden's death.

Hayden won the MotoGP title in 2006, finishing narrowly ahead of Italian great Valentino Rossi.

In a MotoGP career spanning 2003-16 with Honda and Ducati, Hayden posted three victories and 28 podium finishes in 218 races.

After switching to the World Superbike championship last year, Hayden finished fifth in the 2016 standings.

with AAP