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MotoGP
MOTOGP: No Room For Nicky In ‘13?
Nicky Hayden's MotoGP future is in doubt as the American could end up the odd man out in this year's silly season.
Ducati Team's Nicky Hayden (Photo: Ducati Corse)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Round 7 of the MotoGP World Championship from Assen (NED) will air LIVE on SPEED on Saturday, June 30th at 8:00am ET. Qualifying will air LIVE all season long on SPEED2. #SPEEDmoto
Nicky Hayden knows he needs result to secure his future in MotoGP but the outlook is bleak as he battles to spark interest in a tight rider market. Despite informal talks about extending his Ducati deal into 2013 Hayden, 30, admits that he is at an uncertain stage of his career.
There are just six factory places available next year and the reality exposed at Assen in advance of Sunday's Dutch TT is that Hayden does not feature strongly on anyone's short list.
Slots at Yamaha and Honda are either signed or virtually spoken for and that leaves Ducati who will run just two factory bikes next year.
One of those has already been offered to emerging Briton Cal Crutchlow, currently fourth in the world championship riding for the satellite Tech3 Yamaha team.
And very clearly Ducati is keeping open their number one spot in the hope that Valentino Rossi can be persuaded to stay on at Ducati presuming they can produce a bike capable of winning.
Hayden has a Ducati option for next year, which appears to close on June 30, race day at Assen, but the offer to Crutchlow clearly puts the 2006 World Champion down the list at the red team.
"It don't leave a lot of room," Hayden said.
"Ducati have an option with me next year but that expires in a couple of days. They tell me that until the Audi deal is complete they can't do nothing and the new management takes over."
That appears at odds with the current offer to Crutchlow and the confirmation from Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali that his priority is to re-sign Rossi during talks this summer.
"I've had some good talks with them at times, but other times I'm not really sure," he added.
Nicky Hayden knows he needs result to secure his future in MotoGP but the outlook is bleak as he battles to spark interest in a tight rider market. Despite informal talks about extending his Ducati deal into 2013 Hayden, 30, admits that he is at an uncertain stage of his career.
There are just six factory places available next year and the reality exposed at Assen in advance of Sunday's Dutch TT is that Hayden does not feature strongly on anyone's short list.
Slots at Yamaha and Honda are either signed or virtually spoken for and that leaves Ducati who will run just two factory bikes next year.
One of those has already been offered to emerging Briton Cal Crutchlow, currently fourth in the world championship riding for the satellite Tech3 Yamaha team.
And very clearly Ducati is keeping open their number one spot in the hope that Valentino Rossi can be persuaded to stay on at Ducati presuming they can produce a bike capable of winning.
Hayden has a Ducati option for next year, which appears to close on June 30, race day at Assen, but the offer to Crutchlow clearly puts the 2006 World Champion down the list at the red team.
"It don't leave a lot of room," Hayden said.
"Ducati have an option with me next year but that expires in a couple of days. They tell me that until the Audi deal is complete they can't do nothing and the new management takes over."
That appears at odds with the current offer to Crutchlow and the confirmation from Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali that his priority is to re-sign Rossi during talks this summer.
"I've had some good talks with them at times, but other times I'm not really sure," he added.
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