Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa will race for the Repsol Honda team in the 2006 MotoGP World Championship.Hayden will be entering his fourth year with Honda's official team and the 24-year-old American aims to further improve on a positive 2005 campaign and challenge for the 2006 world title.
"The second half of 2005 has been good for me, not just the win at the U.S. Grand Prix but a general consistency in qualifying and the races has appeared and I really feel like I've taken a big step forward in '05," said Hayden.
Three times World Champion Dani Pedrosa moves into MotoGP and the talented, 20-year-old Spaniard is relishing a move to the highest level of competition.
"My whole career has happened so quickly and now, finally, the most important challenge is ahead," said Pedrosa. "I'm very confident in the work HRC is doing and in the team we have in place from 2006."
Mr Jaume Giro, Repsol YPF Executive Director for Communication, said: "This will be the 12th year of the Repsol Honda team and, after a period of transition in both companies, it is great news that we are heading into a new generation with an exciting pairing of Nicky and Dani."
HRC Managing Director Satoru Horiike commented: "This exciting and youthful Repsol Honda team offers HRC a fantastic challenge for the years ahead. In Nicky and Dani we have two of the best riders in the world and everyone within Honda and Repsol is excited about the 2006 World Championship."
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