Hayden signs for Repsol Honda.

As expected, Honda Racing Corporation has revealed that Nicky Hayden will ride for the official HRC Repsol Honda Team alongside reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi, in the 2003 season.

"I'll swing my hardest!" promised the American after the announcement that he'd got the most coveted seat in Motorcycle racing - as well as Rossi, the likes of Mick Doohan, Alex Criville and Tady Okada have all ridden in Repsol colours.

Hayden, who will race with his trademark #69 next season, replaces Tohru Ukawa, who has moved to the Pons team alongside Max Biaggi for 2003.

21-year-old Hayden, from Owensboro, Kentucky, visited the final GP of the season at Valencia in Spain last month to experience first-hand the 16-round series that will take him to all corners of the world next year, in his first season of racing outside the US.

"I'm really looking forward to getting on all the great tracks I've seen on TV, in front of fans from all over the world. I'll swing my hardest!" said the American, who began riding at the age of three and competed in his first race aged five.

Hayden tested the RCV at Motegi in November and then at Valencia and Jerez this month.

"So far riding the bike has been great. I love it," he said of the machine that dominated the 2002 MotoGP series with 14 wins from 16 races. "The bike is very challenging and totally different from the SP-2 I rode back in the States. I still have to get more comfortable on it and find the limits but it's still early days and I feel more confident with every outing.

"I'm super excited about 2003," admitted Nicky, "and I know it will be a great learning period for me. It's truly a dream come true to go racing MotoGP on a factory Honda and being teamed with Rossi is an honour. The guy's the World Champ but still seems to be level headed! I'm sure I can learn a lot from him and I hope it will be fun at the same time!"

Hayden and Rossi have a hectic testing schedule in the build-up to the 2003 MotoGP series, which, with new teams, new riders and new sponsors, is seen by many as potentially the most exciting season ever in the 54-year history of world championship motorcycle racing.

The two other official HRC riders will be Daijiro Kato [Honda Gresini] and Ukawa.