MotoGP World Championship leader Nicky Hayden has spoken of his 'honour' at signing a new deal to stay at the factory Repsol Honda team for a further two seasons.
As previously reported, the 25-year-old American put pen to paper at Motegi - venue for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix - on Friday afternoon, thus extending a partnership with Honda that began in his rookie 2003 season.
Despite leading the riders' world championship by 21 points over Valentino Rossi with just three rounds remaining, Hayden thought long and hard before re-signing with Honda and admits to having received "serious offers" from other teams, thought to be Ducati and in particular Yamaha, who previously tried to sign Hayden for the 2003 season.
The deal means that the Kentuckian will again line-up alongside Spaniard Dani Pedrosa next season, the first of the new 800cc era. Hayden is due to test Honda's new 800 for the first time on Monday, something that is unlikely to have happened had he not first signed.
"It's an honour to be with the HRC factory team for another two years in MotoGP - it doesn't get a lot better than that - so I'm really excited and really happy," said Nicky, who also won the 2002 AMA Superbike championship with Honda. "Everything came together and I'm happy with the deal and I'm happy with HRC. I feel like I took a big step forward this year and I feel that I'm still climbing up the learning curve so I don't want change anything. I want to keep learning, continue growing and keep this momentum going into next year. I'm really happy with the team around me, we're all clicking and working well together. I've been a Honda guy for quite a few years and they're the ones who brought me over to MotoGP - and now I just want to repay them with the championship."
"Honda and HRC are very pleased that Nicky will remain with the Repsol Honda Team for two more years," added HRC general manager Tsutomu Ishii. "Nicky has been with us for four seasons and during that time he has evolved and continually improved. His results this year have been excellent and he has led the world championship for much of the season. The feeling within the team is very strong at the moment and this season Nicky and Dani Pedrosa have established a positive relationship. As MotoGP enters the new 800cc era it is important for the Repsol Honda Team to enjoy this stability, not only with the rider line-up but also with our sponsors and partners."
"Nicky's experience, together with Dani Pedrosa's consolidation in MotoGP has made the Repsol Honda Team be once again the strongest of the world championship," declared Repsol YPF general manager Jaume Giro. "This has always been and will be the aim of Repsol: counting on the best riders in the best class. The coming season, with the arrival of the 800cc motorbikes, is a new challenge we are going to face with the highest guarantees for success, both as regards the riders and the technicians. The fact of Nicky Hayden extending his relationship with us for further two years is a reason for big satisfaction because we are convinced that he will continue giving us many victories in MotoGP."
Hayden re-signs with Honda
Ah but that's the thing isn't it...he is at the top of the table, so therefore he deserves to be therekempy wrote:He doesn't deserve to be on top of the championship table!
If Rossi hadn't been taken out early on in the season you can bet it would be a different picture.
He's only got 2 wins for the whole season.
'13 Z1000, '76 Z650+,'91 KLR250, '95 ZX6R Racebike
-
ZXR750
- KSRC Regular
- Posts: 995
- Joined: Mon May 22, 2006 10:27 am
- Bike: ZXR750
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Hills District NSW
Unfortunatley it is the only option. The Repsol team is far and away the best set up in the paddock. Any other option for Nickey would be a step down and If he can't win the championship with a Repsol Honda then he will never win one. Saying that i don't think Nickey will last his two year contract. Honda want a No. 1 plate and it is still his to lose.(although it looks like he may not get that either). If Nickey does not win the championship this year it will put even more pressure on him. Dani Pedrossa is a Spaniard with a Spaniard sponsor he will always be the prefered rider.Pabs wrote:I think its a bad move for him,he will be used as test rider for Pedrosa.