It will be the final race with Honda for Nicky Hayden on Sunday at Valencia.
The Repsol Honda rider and former World Champion will be emotional after riding his last race for the Japanese brand after staying with them for nine years and spending six years with Honda in MotoGP.
After his Championship title in 2006, Nicky has experienced two difficult years at Honda and has decided to leave the team and join Ducati for the 2009 MotoGP.
Nicky will be a team mate for Casey Stoner and will ride the Ducati Desmosedici for the first time during the test after the MotoGP race at Valencia.
Nicky has said it will be emotional for him.
He likes riding at Valencia, he loves the atmosphere and it has a special place in his heart.
He says: “It’s fast, big, you can feel the energy, it looks like a go-kart track on the map but in reality you need a bike that gets round corners better than it goes in a straight line.
” About the Honda team, Nicky said: “This team has been family the last six years – I was 21 years old when I showed up in Europe from Kentucky! We’ve had a good run together.
I’m really grateful for the opportunity Honda gave me.
Not a lot of people can say they rode factory Hondas for nine years.
From the RC51 on, I’ve ridden some of the baddest bikes ever and worked with some great engineers.
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