Nicky Hayden pondering options after confirming Ducati departure

Nicky Hayden fears his MotoGP career could be coming to an end after the American confirmed on the eve of his home race at Laguna Seca that he wouldn’t be having his factory Ducati renewed for 2014.

As was first reported by MCN earlier this week, the Bologna factory has released the popular 2006 world champion after a five-year stint and talks have started about him switching to World Superbikes on a factory-backed Panigale.

Hayden’s availability has also generated serious interest from other high profile WSB teams and that could be his next career move, with the Kentucky rider conceding his options to remain in MotoGP appear very limited.

Speaking at the pre-event press conference at the California track, Hayden said: “It is not an easy moment but I am not coming back to Ducati in MotoGP. They have chosen to go in a different way. I really don’t know about my future to be honest. I have a couple of things on the go and some interesting stuff but in MotoGP it doesn’t look so good. I do have a couple of options that are interesting and I still love racing bikes and still think I have a lot to give. I will try and find a new home and see what’s left. It is not the perfect situation but it is what it is and I just have to land on my feet and make do.”

Hayden once again stated his desire to remain in MotoGP, but he certainly won’t be able to land one of the 12 prototypes on the grid and he added: “MotoGP is where my heart it is but I don’t just want to stay here on a bike and run around and try to get a point here or there. I need to look at all the options and see which is the one I am most excited about and which one sounds like it will be the most fun. I am not sure Repsol is going to come knocking on my door today for one of those spots. There are only so many seats in MotoGP and that’s tough.

There are only 12 official bikes and most of them are spoken for. It is not an ideal situation but the results haven’t gone how we hoped and nobody likes to get sacked but that’s what happened.”