Source: Supplied.

Honda WorldSBK’s Nicky Hayden is currently recovering from surgery on his injured knee which he sustained while taking part in a flat-track training session last Friday.

Hayden was forced to sit out this week’s two-day test at Jerez in Spain after the injury saw him to return to America in order to seek further medical treatment.

“Unfortunately I injured my knee between the two private tests of Aragón and Jerez,” Hayden explained. “I had a chance to do some flat-track training during my days off on a small, second-gear, track but I caught my foot awkwardly in a bit of a rut and twisted my knee around. Luckily, I didn’t crash nor hurt anything else on my body, but I knew straight away that something was wrong with my knee.

“It turned out that I had a tear to the MCL so, after consulting with some doctors back in the US, I had an operation today to fix it. I will rest for a few days but it looks like I’m going to start rehab very soon and I will follow the doctor’s instructions very closely. Injuries are never good, but luckily I have a bit of time now before the new season comes around.”

Hayden’s unfortunate injury couldn’t be more timely as the off-season has only just commenced, allowing him adequate time to heal prior to Phillip Island’s season opener in February 2017.