"Honda told me that I would be wasting my time to even ask," Hayden said. "And I'm not surprised at that because I couldn't even get the same front forks Dani had at Misano, much less try and get the same tires.
"And now I've been joking that if a guy doesn't win the next race is he going to announce that he's gonna switch bikes mid-season?"
Hayden's initial surprise, reportedly coming after a threat that Pedrosa would not race the rest of the season if he was on Michelin tires, matched the rest of the MotoGP paddock.
"At first I was shocked, I thought there was no way it could ever happen. But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised," he said. "There have been times when I've thought I would like to have Bridgestone tires. But Honda told me that it wasn't an option for me, they told me I had no choice in the matter."
Now after a long professional career with Honda, especially in the key U.S. market, Hayden is expected to begin testing with Ducati
at Valencia in November.
This will be subject to an early clearance of his contract from Honda but this should be a formality especially as HRC had told Hayden his services were no longer required back in June on the Sunday night following the British GP at Donington.
Hayden's patience and loyalty have been tested by Honda's management style, exacerbated by their very obvious preference for Pedrosa as the star rider of the team.
The tensions have only increased since that dramatic day at Estoril in 2006 when friendly fire from Pedrosa bumped Hayden into the gravel, putting his title hopes in great jeopardy.
Despite that unexpected exit from the Portuguese GP, Hayden still went on to win the 2006 World Championship at the final race in Valencia.
But Hayden has not won a race with Honda since his championship season and in 2008 he has suffered from the delayed introduction of Honda's more powerful and aggressive pneumatic-valve motor.
