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Ducati have confirmed 2006 MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden will partner Casey Stoner at the team next season.

The 29-year-old American had already announced his plans to leave Repsol Honda at the end of the year, after six seasons at the Japanese team.

Hayden will replace Marco Melandri at Ducati, and he will make his debut on the Desmosedici GP9 on 27 October right at the end of the season in Valencia.

"We are really happy to have Nicky join us," said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse CEO. "We are certain that his never-say-die attitude, riding style and character will be great additions to our team in 2009.

"I would like to thank HRC for allowing Nicky to start testing our bike immediately after the Valencia Grand Prix.

"I would also like to thank Marco Melandri for his professionalism during a difficult year, which was below all our expectations.

"Unfortunately his feeling with the Desmosedici was never good enough to allow him to ride as well as he can. We wish him all the best for the future."

Nicky Hayden and Repsol Honda have officially confirmed they are parting at the end of the 2008 season.

The confirmation has been awaited for some time, but an announcement of Hayden joining Ducati is expected this week.

The move will mean that Hayden will not ride a Honda for the first time in ten seasons after winning two AMA championships and the 2006 MotoGP title with the marque.

Hayden has had a difficult past two seasons adapting to the smaller 800cc RC 212V Honda, but got onto the podium for the first time in 2008 with the bike yesterday at Indianapolis.

The 'Kentucky Kid' said: "Sure, it hasn't just been one big holiday, along the way there's been some tough days but a lot of good days too.

Winning the World Championship was by far the highlight of my career so far, plus I won a couple championships in America with Honda, the Supersport championship, the Superbike title and the Daytona 200. And I won some dirt track with Honda too: I won Springfield short track twice, the Peoria TT, in all four Grand National dirt tracks.

"Winning MotoGP rookie of the year in 2003 was quite an achievement against Bayliss, Edwards and Melandri, that was something I was pretty proud of. And of course my two MotoGP wins at Laguna were awesome experiences. I'd just like to thank everyone, and the best way to thank them is to put up some results these last few races. That's the plan."

HRC president Masumi Hamane said: "We wish to thank Nicky for all he has achieved for Honda both as a rider and a man. Nicky and Honda have shared much success and a few disappointing days but in each case Nicky has always behaved cheerfully and has led the team in a positive way. His warm-hearted character has been much loved by all who have worked with him."

Repsol Honda team manager Kazuhiko Yamano, speaking on behalf of HRC said Hayden had been "an excellent ambassador for Honda, his genuine polite and friendly personality has made him a favourite with racing people, the media and race fans wherever he goes.

"Nicky is a racer, a tough man on track and always a gentleman with whom it has been a pleasure to work. We all wish Nicky good luck and success with his new challenge he will be a fierce rival for our team in 2009."

Nicky Hayden says he has been boosted by his performance at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, although the American claims he never doubted his abilities.

Hayden, world champion in 2006, had not climbed onto the podium since the 2007 season following a dismal 2008 campaign with Repsol Honda.

But the American fought for victory in the first Indianapolis race on Sunday, although he eventually had to settle for second place behind Valentino Rossi.

Hayden admitted the result was a big boost for his whole crew.

"It's great for my confidence, but honestly I don't doubt my skills," said Hayden. "I know it's been a tough year, as I said the other day, I came into this race having the worst season I've had in my career, although I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me because I've had it pretty good.

"It seemed like I couldn't do anything right. I was making some mistakes, and some things that went on in the team have just been tough on everybody. My team needed a boost. They deserved it, because my guys have worked really hard."

The 'Kentucky kid' took the lead of the race early on and stayed there until Rossi charged back following a shaky start from pole position.

Hayden finished nearly six seconds behind Rossi after the race was shortened due to the poor weather.

"It was never like I had a big lead, so I knew it wasn't going to be easy," Hayden added. "But it felt great to be up front and I felt comfortable there. I felt like I was in control.

"I knew it was going to be tough. I was a little bit worried that I was too soft on the tyres and might be in trouble. She started to spin a little bit early on, so I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"The podium's good, but I'm greedy - I've been a world champion and I want to win. When you're leading your home GP and the laps are clicking away, I'm not thinking 'ah, be cool, let's stay on the podium', I'm thinking 'let's go for it...'"

Nicky Hayden admitted that he threw caution to the wind in his home race at Indianapolis.

The former world champion charged through from fourth on the grid to take the lead early on in the very wet race, and stayed ahead until Valentino Rossi overtook him on lap 15. Factory Honda rider Hayden then resisted a strong challenge from Rossi's Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo to take second place.

"I had nothing to lose here and just had to go for it," said Hayden.

"The bike felt pretty good in the wet when it wasn't heavy water, and I felt confident before the race. Up front, leading early, it's been a long time since I led a race and it felt really good coming out of the last corner and seeing nobody. I was thinking 'man, this is only supposed to happen in the movies', especially being at my home GP."

With the track drying slightly between showers in the middle of the race, Hayden felt he had taken too much out of his wet tyres by the time Rossi caught him.

"Unfortunately Valentino came through and had a little bit more speed than me," said the American. "I made a little run at him, but towards the end, when the track dried out, we used a lot of rubber off the tyre.

"When it rained again, on the edge I'd lost so much tread pattern and it went 'gnarly'. But still I pushed till the end, to the maximum, and I really left nothing on the table. I was riding as hard as I could, taking a few chances and I felt good up front."

The second place was Hayden's best result since he won at Laguna Seca in 2006, and his first podium of a difficult 2008 season, which has seen his relationship with the Repsol Honda team decline, and a foot injury sustained at the X-Games sideline him for two races.

"I really want to thank my team, my family, my fans and everybody for sticking behind me," said Hayden, who had to walk onto the podium with the aid of a stick due to his injured heel. "It's not been a really easy road lately, but that's how it goes."

Hayden is set to leave Honda at the end of the season, and should soon be confirmed as Casey Stoner's new teammate in the works Ducati squad.