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MotoGP
MOTOGP: Hayden Set To Sign New Ducati Deal
After earlier appearing to be on the outside looking in, Nicky Hayden is now on the verge of signing a new deal with Ducati.
Ducati Team's Nicky Hayden (Photo: Ducati Corse)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix from Laguna Seca will air on SPEED on Sunday, July 29th at 6:00pm ET. Qualifying will air on SPEED on Saturday, July 28 at 11:00pm ET and free practice will air on SPEED2 Friday, July 27 at 5:10pm ET. #MotoGPonSPEED
American Nicky Hayden is set to ink a new one-year contract that will see him continue with Ducati in 2013. The official announcement is likely to come this weekend during the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca and is a dramatic turn of events for Hayden whose future at the red team has been clouded in uncertainty.
The Hayden deal will be positive news for American MotoGP fans who earlier this week learned that Ben Spies will quit Yamaha at the end of this season with no guarantee of a Grand Prix deal in 2013.
With Ducati star Valentino Rossi considering an option to return to Yamaha it is clear that Ducati has moved to secure Hayden to have some continuity in the team, no matter Rossi's final decision.
Crucially Hayden has the backing Ducati chairman Gabriel del Torchio as rumors swirled that British rider Cal Crutchlow was being courted for the Ducati factory team.
"My deal is not done yet but things are looking really good and I'm really close to staying at Ducati for another year and I’m real happy about it," said Hayden at Laguna Seca today. "Hopefully we can get it announced soon."
“Things have moved quite a bit faster since Mugello. Even on the inside I’ve had a good feeling. If you took just what was being said it seemed like it would never happen.
"But honestly the discussions I’ve had for the last month it is not a bigger change as some people thought."
SPEED understands that Hayden was summoned to a private meeting with del Torchio during last week's Italian GP where he was informed of the intention to renew his contract.
The 2006 World Champion, who will be 31 this coming Monday, qualified fourth and finished seventh at Mugello.
“I’m not in those Bologna board meetings to know who was giving me the vote of approval but I have had a good relationship with del Torchio, and I would say he was one of the guys based on my feeling and what I’ve seen that pushed for me pretty hard," Hayden said.
Over the last month some negativity surrounded Hayden's future with reports of some faction within Ducati pushing for Crutchlow.
Hayden even admitted that he felt he was "not the first choice at Ducati," a perception that he says may have been premature.
“I’ve got a good feeling from them. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that feeling and maybe I listened to too many people on the outside. The communication I have had with my team hasn’t changed too much," he said.
Hayden's talks have included discussions with bosses from new owners Audi on the future and support for the MotoGP project.
American Nicky Hayden is set to ink a new one-year contract that will see him continue with Ducati in 2013. The official announcement is likely to come this weekend during the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca and is a dramatic turn of events for Hayden whose future at the red team has been clouded in uncertainty.
The Hayden deal will be positive news for American MotoGP fans who earlier this week learned that Ben Spies will quit Yamaha at the end of this season with no guarantee of a Grand Prix deal in 2013.
With Ducati star Valentino Rossi considering an option to return to Yamaha it is clear that Ducati has moved to secure Hayden to have some continuity in the team, no matter Rossi's final decision.
Crucially Hayden has the backing Ducati chairman Gabriel del Torchio as rumors swirled that British rider Cal Crutchlow was being courted for the Ducati factory team.
"My deal is not done yet but things are looking really good and I'm really close to staying at Ducati for another year and I’m real happy about it," said Hayden at Laguna Seca today. "Hopefully we can get it announced soon."
“Things have moved quite a bit faster since Mugello. Even on the inside I’ve had a good feeling. If you took just what was being said it seemed like it would never happen.
"But honestly the discussions I’ve had for the last month it is not a bigger change as some people thought."
SPEED understands that Hayden was summoned to a private meeting with del Torchio during last week's Italian GP where he was informed of the intention to renew his contract.
The 2006 World Champion, who will be 31 this coming Monday, qualified fourth and finished seventh at Mugello.
“I’m not in those Bologna board meetings to know who was giving me the vote of approval but I have had a good relationship with del Torchio, and I would say he was one of the guys based on my feeling and what I’ve seen that pushed for me pretty hard," Hayden said.
Over the last month some negativity surrounded Hayden's future with reports of some faction within Ducati pushing for Crutchlow.
Hayden even admitted that he felt he was "not the first choice at Ducati," a perception that he says may have been premature.
“I’ve got a good feeling from them. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that feeling and maybe I listened to too many people on the outside. The communication I have had with my team hasn’t changed too much," he said.
Hayden's talks have included discussions with bosses from new owners Audi on the future and support for the MotoGP project.
Grand Prix of The Americas
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