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Honda World Superbike Team’s Nicky Hayden has been confirmed for a return to MotoGP™, as the replacement rider for Jack Miller in the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS team, in the forthcoming Gran Premio Movistar de Aragón.

The Kentucky Kid secured a podium result in WorldSBK Race 1 on Saturday at the Lausitzring before confirming at the end of the round 10 visit to Germany that he will make a temporary return to MotoGP™.

Hayden explained, “Jack Miller has been injured and first off I want to say get well soon to Jack. Everybody knows that he is a friend of mine and I’m a believer in Jack so I don’t want to see him out of action, but he needs to get healthy so that he can show his potential. Really it is another Honda team and I work for Honda Europe so they need a rider and I’m here and I’m healthy, so why not?!”

The 2006 MotoGP™ World Champion continued, “I love racing and I know it’s not easy to just show up and do a good job in that paddock, which is full of ‘shark water’ I guess you could say! I’m excited to go there, try to have some fun, do a race and see what we can do!”

On returning to riding in MotoGP™ where new tyres, new electronics and new regulations have been brought in since he last rode in the championship in 2015, Hayden added, “I like challenges. I would be more excited if I could go and do a couple of days on the bike, learn the team, learn the tyres, but that is not the situation, that’s not what I’ve signed up for. I know what I’m getting in to. This is not a MotoGP return for me, it isn’t a try-out! I’m not 22, I’m 35 and my home is in Superbikes. My goals are in Superbikes. It is just a chance to go and do a motorcycle race.”