Marlboro Ducati is chasing other riders to come take his seat on the factory team, but former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden says he hasn’t given up on Ducati for this season or next. Like the rider he replaced, Marco Melandri, Hayden has had a difficult time adapting to Ducati’s Desmosedici. Melandri finished the 2008 season 17th in the Championship standings with a best finish of fifth in the Chinese GP. After 12 races in 2009, Hayden is 14th in the Championship standings with a best finish of fifth at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Yeah, it’s been tough, sure, especially in the beginning,” Hayden told reporters in Thursday’s official pre-event press conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “I didn’t start the season out very good with some big crashes, and then we made some changes to the team, but that wasn’t until round four. From there, things have been improving, but this isn’t little league. It’s hard to make progress here, but we have made progress and gotten closer to that second group. Obviously, that first group is still not on our radar. It’s been a hard challenge, but I’ve enjoyed it. “We’ve worked hard and made a lot of progress. Even though it doesn’t look like it at times I’m starting to feel more and more comfortable on this bike and in this team. We’ve got six more tries, six more weekends to try to do something. It’s gonna be tough, but the team is working hard. The guys really have given me a lot better package that I feel more comfortable on. I know how hard it’s gonna be, but that’s racing. That’s why we line up. We’ll see what happens.” But while Hayden and his crew have tried to work through their struggles, his teammate, the 2007 MotoGP World Champion and Ducati’s race-winning star, Casey Stoner has fallen ill with what is believed to be Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, has taken a three-race leave of absence and has put his and Ducati’s futures in question. Considering they carry one of the largest sponsorship packages in MotoGP and their brand image is intimately tied to racing success, Ducati cannot leave anything to chance. Whether Stoner comes back or not, they must get results. And to accomplish that they have begun aggressively soliciting top riders in the MotoGP paddock. Recent headlines have been dominated by a deal rumored to be worth as much as €7 million (just under $10 million USD) per season that Ducati offered 22-year-old Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo ultimately turned that deal down and chose to stay with Fiat Yamaha, but on Thursday Loris Capirossi told reporters that he had been approached by Ducati and Dani Pedrosa said he is still talking with Ducati. So where does that leave Hayden, who is at the end of his one-year deal with Ducati– which has the exclusive option of extending the deal through 2010? The short answer in limbo. “I’ve been in this game long enough. I realize, like it or not, MotoGP is a business,” said Hayden. “They’ve got sponsors and people to please, and I realize that I probably [caused] some hard phone calls on Monday with some of them 12th places. Do I like it? No, because when I look in the mirror I see why they need to bring somebody else in here, because I haven’t got the results. “They’ve got to do what they feel is best. I don’t know if just bringing in new guys every year is the best way to fix the situation. We’ll see what happens. I signed up for two years, so I still got this challenge and really feel like we can do it. I know I still need more time. I’m not ready to give up yet. We’ll see what happens. If it doesn’t work out will I get my feelings hurt? No. I’m not that big a sissy.” Then in his typical charismatic style, Hayden added, “If they make me that offer they made Lorenzo then all things will be forgotten. Eight million a year will patch things up pretty easy. We’ll be good.” The press conference room erupted in laughter.