Nicky Hayden satisfied with 2010 form

Nicky Hayden has declared himself satisfied with his impressive start to the 2010 MotoGP world championship.

The Kentucky rider endured a nightmare debut season with Ducati but has been a revelation so far in 2010 with the 2006 world champion claiming successive fourth place finishes in Qatar and Jerez.

Hayden’s transformation has drawn universal praise in the paddock and is in stark contrast to his struggles in adapting to the Desmosedici last season.

For the first time since he joined Ducati, Hayden defeated team-mate Casey Stoner in last weekend’s Spanish GP.

And it was the first time Stoner was beaten by his team since the 2007 Japanese MotoGP race when Loris Capirossi won on the day the Aussie clinched his maiden world crown.

Hayden has nearly scored just one less point in two races in 2010 than he managed in the first seven last season.

And his performance in Jerez was a massive 55 seconds faster than he managed in 2009 when he finished 15th.

The former Repsol Honda rider told MCN: “It’s only two races in so it’s not much but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pretty satisfied.

“I didn’t expect to just to go from where I was last year to dominate. But I know what I’m capable and I have a great bike and a great team. The team believes in me a lot and the support they have given me is encouraging.

“I went 55 seconds faster in the race at Jerez than I did in 2009. Everybody else was almost the same. I think the race was one second faster so it’s not like I got something special from the tyres.

“I don’t want to sound like a fool saying how happy I am when I ride for the factory Ducati team with two fourth places, but realistically it’s not bad.”