Nicky Hayden confident for Misano return

Nicky Hayden is confident he will be back in action at the next MotoGP race in Misano having made good progress from injuries that kept him out of the recent Brno round in the Czech Republic.

Hayden suffered concussion and a double break in his right hand when he fell heavily during a crash-strewn qualifying session for his home race at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway earlier this month.

It was in the same session that Casey Stoner crashed and suffered serious damage to right ankle that destroyed the Repsol Honda rider’s hopes of retiring as world champion.

Stoner was due to undergo surgery in Australia today (Thursday) and he hopes to be back in action in time to make his final appearance at Phillip Island in late October.
Stoner’s RC213V will be ridden by British rider Jonathan Rea in the forthcoming Misano and Motorland Aragon races.

Hayden though is optimistic he will be fit to return to his factory Ducati GP12 in Misano on September 16.

The 2006 world champion said: “It was pretty tough to be home while my rivals were racing, and testing is also something that I hated missing, as we had some parts that we could possibly use this year. Everything else is good news though. Bones don’t heal in ten days, but the swelling is down in my hand, and the feeling is much better with both that and my head. Everything’s right on schedule, and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike.”