Buzzin MotoGP

Nicky Hayden - Ducati Marlboro 2009

The Ducati Corse team announced yesterday that Nicky Hayden has signed a one-year contract to, once again, ride alongside Casey Stoner on the Ducati Marlboro for the 2010 season.

Hayden made it onto the podium last weekend at the Indianapolis round of the MotoGP Championship, finishing in third place on the Desmosedici GP9, in front of his home crowd.

This weekend the team are that their home circuit of Misano for the Italian MotoGP and will no doubt be fully supported by the passionate Italian supporters.

Mika Kallio, will once again be on the second Ducati Marlboro, replacing the recuperating Casey Stoner who is due to return next month at Estoril.

Nicky Hayden said of this weekends race;

“At Mugello I realised how special it is to race for Ducati in Italy so hopefully I can give all the Ducatisti even more reason to party.  I know it won’t be easy and I can’t get overconfident even though everything went so well at Indy.

The little time we’ve had since Sunday’s race has flown by and even though I would have liked to have a bit more time to reflect on last weekend, Misano is right on us and that is what we have to focus on. Last year I rode in practice but wasn’t able to take part in the race because of a foot injury. Still, I like the circuit and there are a couple of fast right-handers at the end of the lap, in particular, that are a lot of fun.”

Talking of his 2010 contract, Hayden said;

“This has been a very good week and this news just adds to that. After the good result in Indy, now to renew the deal with Ducati is exactly what I wanted. I’m very happy. I always had faith and believed that we could achieve good results.

I’m excited for these last five races of the 2009 season, and if you look at the progression we have made from the start of the season to the middle, hopefully we will continue this through to the end. I just wish to say a big thanks to all the guys who made this happen, especially everybody in Ducati, as well as all our sponsors.”