World Superbikes: Decision time for Noriyuki Haga

Noriyuki Haga will meet with Yamaha bosses tomorrow (Wednesday) to discuss a package that will see him continue riding for the team in 2008.

Haga has ridden for the Yamaha Italia squad for the last three years but comes to the end of his one year contract after the final race at Magny Cours.

Noriyuki Haga has been linked with a switch to Ten Kate Honda to replace the out going James Toseland but Haga’s long-time manager Toshi Araki has revealed to MCN there has been no contact with the Dutch team.

Speaking exclusively to MCN, Araki said: “Nori fly’s back from Japan today and we will be meeting Laurens Klein Koerkamp to discuss things for next season.

“Hopefully it will also be possible for Troy (Corser) to stay because both riders have the possibility to be number one and they can make direct comparisons with the bike, which is very important.”

“There has been no contact with Ten Kate. I think this would be very difficult for us because as it looks like Kiyonari is coming I don’t think the team would want two Japanese riders.”

Araki also revealed these have been informal chats with Xerox Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi about his riding alongside double world champion Troy Bayliss.

“Every year we have a chat to Davide and every year he says ‘don’t ring us, we’ll ring you’.

“I think every rider in the paddock is interested in the Ducati, not just Nori, because of the new technical regulations and the fact that they will have an extra 200cc than the rest of the teams.”