Ducati finally confirms Haga for world Superbike

World Superbike's open secret has now been officially announced: Noriyuki Haga will replace Troy Bayliss in the Ducati Xerox factory team in 2009.

Haga, 33, will be teammate to the Italian rider Michel Fabrizio, who will remain with the team for a second consecutive season.

"I am very proud to be able to welcome Noriyuki", commented Davide Tardozzi, Ducati Corse's Superbike Team Manager. "We are convinced he is one of the strongest and best loved of the Superbike riders, a talented and courageous man. He is a rider that has proved that he never gives up, in the true spirit of Ducati, and is a rider with the credentials to fill the place that Troy Bayliss vacates.

"Haga will, for the first time, ride a factory Ducati, and I am certain that he will win over the Ducatisti fans and bring great satisfaction. We are very proud to have him in next year's squad together with Michel. They are two fantastic riders and we will do everything to ensure that they can achieve the great results that everyone hopes are possible."

Haga, from Nagoya, is an 11-year veteran of world Superbike, and has 33 wins to his credit, equal with Australian Troy Corser and only behind Carl Fogarty (59) and Bayliss (50).

He is on track to finish second in this year's championship behind Bayliss, who became champion-designate in the penultimate round at Magny-Cours. The final stopover for 2008 will be in Portugal next month.

Haga last rode a Ducati in 2004 when he was on a customer-spec machine. He finished third in the championship behind factory Ducati riders James Toseland and Regis Laconi.

With the confirmation of Haga, the confirmed factory line ups for 2009 is as follows:

Ducati - Haga and Fabrizio
Yamaha - Tom Sykes and Ben Spies
Suzuki - Max Neukirchner and Yukio Kagayama
Honda - Carlos Checa, Jonathan Rea and Ryuichi Kiyonari
Aprilia - Max Biaggi
BMW - Corser and Ruben Xaus
Kawasaki - TBA