Haga set for WSB return

Noriyuki Haga is set for a World Superbike comeback with the British Renegade Ducati team.

The popular Japanese rider will join Leon Haslam in the squad on Ducati 999 RS04s, after a disappointing three years in MotoGP. His last WSB season was in 2002 on an Aprilia, but in 2000 he came close to beating Honda’s Colin Edwards to the title on a Yamaha.

This will be Haga’s first time riding a Ducati since 1994 on a Ducati 888 in the Japanese championship, and his first experience of Pirelli tyres. His WSB successes mainly came on Dunlop rubber, except for a year on Michelins in 1999.

Renegade Ducati team boss Mark Griffiths said, ” We’ve agreed the terms of the contract and we’re pretty close to signing Haga. ”

The return of Haga will be a major boost for the series, alongside the signing of Garry McCoy for the rival NCR Ducati team.

For more on this story, see MCN, out Wednesday January 14. Discuss this story on the WSB board.