Ducati renews Hayden's contract

Interestingly, an announcement on Valentino Rossi's future with Ducati, if any, was not made at the time.

The 2006 MotoGP World Champion joined Ducati in 2009, and has become extremely popular with fans and Ducatisti all over the world, thanks to his reliably positive outlook, his passion, and his determination. While he has yet to record a victory on the GP Ducati, Hayden has arguably handled the notoriously finicky machine better than his team mates, with the obvious exception of Casey Stoner.

"I'm very happy that I'll be back with Ducati and back in MotoGP, racing at the highest level for a very important team," Hayden said. "I love the guys I work with, I love the Ducati fans, and I love the brand. This is an important time for Ducati in a number of ways, and I'm excited that I'll continue to be a part of it.

"I feel like I've got some unfinished business here, and hopefully we can get all the pieces into place and reap the rewards of the hard work we've put in the last couple of years.

"It's nice to be able to make this announcement at Laguna and to share the moment with my fans, friends and family. If I can do a good result on Sunday, it could make for a pretty special birthday weekend."

Hayden, who turned 31 today, sits seventh overall in the 2012 MotoGP championship following the Laguna Seca round, where he finished the race in sixth. At Laguna Seca, Hayden joined American 'Ducatisti' at the venue's "Ducati Island" fan centre, immediately after the announcement of his resigning with the Ducati Team.

Images: Ducati Corse