MotoGP Phillip Island - Hayden confirmed with Aspar Honda

Former MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden will ride a production Honda in next season's championship after finalising a deal with the Aspar team.

Hayden's final landing place has been the subject of much speculation over recent months and a tie-in with Aspar looked in doubt after Aprilia boss Gigi Dall'Igna defected to Ducati but team owner Jorge Martinez has done a deal with Honda - helped no doubt by money from Honda America - and Hayden will race there for 2014. It is thought he will be joined by Hiro Aoyama.

“It is great news for the Power Electronics Aspar Team to have the acquired services of Honda and a rider of the profile of Nicky Hayden. We are taking a huge step forward in terms of quality, prestige and image. We have grown a lot in a short space of time and we are all very excited about this new project with Honda," said Martinez.

"It is the factory that the ASPAR Team first started with back in 1992 and I have great memories of that period. Our objective is to continue being a reference point in the premier-class. I think the combination of Honda's MotoGP Production Racer and Nicky Hayden is going to be a very successful one. 

"We are thrilled to be working with a manufacturer with the history that Honda has and a rider like Nicky, a World Champion with huge experience. It will be a big change for us after so many years working with Italian factories but we have high hopes for this new project.”

By MotoGP desk

Image by Bonnie Lane