John Hopkins back in the hospital!

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Things just never seem to go right for John Hopkins. Yesterday he was rushed to an emergency room at 4am, suffering from an infection in the hand which was recently injured and subsequently operated on.

Hopper then underwent another urgent operation, the exact details of which are still unknown. 

At the moment John is without a contract for 2012, but it shouldn't be an issue as this past season he nearly won the BSB title with Suzuki, and scored the Superpole in his WSBK wild card appearance at Silverstone.

Until recently Hopkins had been hoping for a call from the Suzuki MotoGP team for 2012, but riding in the recent test (which he was unable to participate in) was Randy De Puniet.

source: GP One

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Hopkins forced to withdraw from Malaysian Grand Prix

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John Hopkins has had to withdraw from of this weekend’s Sepang GP due to further complications with the broken finger he damaged in Brno earlier this season.

Hopkins was due to make a wild-card appearance for the Rizla Suzuki team this weekend, but the third finger on his right-hand that he broke in the Czech Republic – also as a wild-card entry – has re-broken at the knuckle. The finger is swollen and seized overnight, making it impossible to ride a MotoGP machine competitively or safely.

Hopkins will stay for the remainder of the weekend to give his full support to team-mate Álvaro Bautista and the Rizla Suzuki squad, before he returns to America for further surgery and convalescence to repair the damage to his hand and enable him to make a full recovery in time for next season.

John Hopkins:

“I knew my hand was sore after yesterday afternoon, because it was hurting when I was riding. It is definitely a lot more painful riding a MotoGP bike than it was the British Superbike, mainly due to the immense braking forces on the GSV-R. I woke up just before six this morning and I had quite a bit of pain so I tried to loosen it up and bend it, but that wasn’t an option. The screws and the plates in the finger have come apart and there’s just no movement in the knuckle at all, so I cannot bend the finger. If I get any further damage to the injury it could result in amputation and certainly don’t want that! My Doctor is totally confident that he can fix it, but I just haven’t been able to rest it and give it the proper time needed to repair it over the last six weeks. I thought it would be fine to ride this weekend and had every hope of it working, but I didn’t expect the amount of force that goes into riding a GP bike would cause such a  problem.

“I am so sorry for the team and Rizla Suzuki, because they have given me such a great opportunity again and now I can’t ride past the Friday - it’s heartbreaking and I can’t express my disappointment. It’s such a shame and I couldn’t be more upset, but the priority now is to get it fixed and get myself ready for the 2012 season.”

rizla suzuki press release

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Hopkins and Rizla Suzuki back together at Sepang

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John Hopkins will re-join the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team as a wild-card rider in Sepang for the Shell Advance Grand Prix of Malaysia on Sunday 23rd October.

Hopkins will make a welcome return to the Rizla Suzuki squad for his second wild-card event of the season. His first event was at Brno where he unfortunately crashed and injured his right hand in a practice session. He had shown huge potential during the first day and had finished in 10th place on the time-sheets, but his injury on day two stopped the Anglo-American from showing what he might have achieved after a full weekend on-board the Suzuki GSV-R. Hopkins has already completed a MotoGP race this season, after he deputised for Álvaro Bautista at Jerez and scored a creditable 10th place at the Spanish Grand Prix.

John Hopkins: 

“I am really pumped to get this chance to ride in a MotoGP race with the Rizla Suzuki team. I thought after Brno that I wouldn’t get the opportunity again and was really disappointed that I missed out there due to a silly mistake, so to be heading to Sepang is fantastic. It is one of my favourite tracks and I know it well because we used to test there a lot. My main focus is on the British Championship at the moment, but as soon as that is over I will be in MotoGP mode and putting all my efforts into getting a good result at Sepang and showing that I can perform at the highest level. I really want to get back into MotoGP and this is a great chance to show what I can do.” 

“Again I need to thank everyone at Rizla Suzuki for giving me this opportunity and my Samsung Crescent team – I hope that by the time I get back on the MotoGP bike we will have been celebrating something really big at Brands Hatch!”

Paul Denning – Team Manager:

“We’d intended to give John at least one outing on the Rizla Suzuki Grand Prix bike this year and we’re delighted that he’ll join us in Malaysia to form a two–man team with Álvaro. Sepang is one of John’s favourite tracks and also one that the GSV-R has performed well at in the past. What happened in Brno – with John’s injury – and the way he has worked so hard to come back from it, and challenge for the British Superbike Championship, has only reaffirmed his commitment to success and getting back to the top level. Let’s hope at Sepang we manage to line up at the start of the race with two Rizla Suzukis and that Álvaro and John can show what they and the team are all capable of producing.”

Rizla Suzuki press release.

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LCR Honda to turn to John Hopkins?

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Lucio Cecchinello will turn his attention to John Hopkins, Randy de Puniet or Alvaro Bautista for a 2012 MotoGP ride now that Andrea Dovizioso has opted to sign for Tech 3 Yamaha.

Cecchinello had made signing Dovizioso his number one target for 2012 after a disastrous campaign with Spain’s reigning Moto2 world champion Toni Elias.

Cecchinello made Dovizioso an offer during the recent Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi and was hoping it would have been enough to tempt the current Repsol Honda rider.

The LCR offer included factory support from HRC for Dovizioso but he has accepted a proposal from Herve Poncharal to partner Cal Crutchlow at Tech 3 next season.

Dovizioso’s decision leaves Cecchinello pondering his next move, with BSB title contender John Hopkins a leading candidate, despite his preference to return to MotoGP with Suzuki.

Cecchinello spoke to Hopkins earlier in the season about selected rides with his squad because of the struggles experienced by Elias.

Former LCR rider de Puniet is also a candidate after he endured a torrid 2011 with the Pramac squad, while Bautista is in the frame too.

Bautista’s future with Suzuki is still uncertain with no decision as yet from the Japanese factory that it will continue racing next year.

Asked by MCN in Japan what his strategy would be if Dovizioso rejected his offer, Cecchinello said: “We are in contact with Bob Moore who is the manager of John Hopkins and I am always open to consider Randy de Puniet.

"And depending on what Suzuki will do, the door is also open for Bautista.”

source: MCN

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John Hopkins: My goal is MotoGP

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John Hopkins will be a World Championship rider in 2012. That much he is certain of. 

The 28-year-old, looking to complete a stunning career revival by winning the British Superbike title this weekend at Brands Hatch, has made no secret of his desire to return to MotoGP next season. 

Hopkins was a full-time grand prix rider from 2002-2008 - starting at Red Bull Yamaha and finishing with a year at Kawasaki. In-between, Hopkins rode for the factory Suzuki squad, with whom he took four podiums and fourth in the 2007 world championship. 

Injuries at Kawasaki, which then withdrew from MotoGP at the end of 2008, marked the start of a downward spiral that Hopkins feared he might not overcome. 

But MotoGP team manager Paul Denning still believed in Hopkins, and an agreement was reached for the Californian to race for Denning's Samsung Crescent Suzuki BSB team in 2011. 

"I took the best option to jump-start my career," said Hopkins, during an exclusive interview with Crash.net. "It was like coming home to a second family." 

A rejuvenated Hopkins soon repaid Denning's faith, taking his first BSB win in round two and he leads the championship by eight points heading into the Brands Hatch decider. 

"It's been a huge learning curve," said Hopkins. "The tracks, the competition... I've done MotoGP, AMA and some World Superbike races, but I've never had fiercer competition while racing than in BSB. 

"I knew the [Showdown] points' system would favour me because my main aim was to stay in the top six and learn the new tracks, but we didn't expect to win so early and we've stayed where we wanted to be." 

Regardless of the championship outcome, Hopper's achievements in BSB, WSBK (on pole as a wild-card at Silverstone) and as a MotoGP stand-in for Rizla Suzuki this season mean he is on the wanted list of several teams for a 2012 grand prix ride. 

"My goal is to get back to MotoGP. My mind is set so that anything else is just a stepping stone to MotoGP," said Hopkins. 

"I have a whole new approach to racing and my career. I am more mentally tough and more driven than I've ever been. If you want to be the best, then you have to race the best, and I still believe the best are in MotoGP." 

The obvious MotoGP choice would be a return to Rizla Suzuki, but the factory's Japanese bosses are yet to confirm their 2012 plans and Hopkins - also linked to LCR Honda - warned that he can't wait forever. 

"I'd like to continue the relationship with Suzuki, but everything is still a bit unknown with their MotoGP plans," he said. "Paul has said that everything [at Suzuki] is still on hold and I'm not going to let anything slip through my fingers by having to wait too long. 

"This entire year for me has been about trying to lock-up the British Superbike Championship, so I'm not concentrating on anything else until I finish that. Then, on Sunday night, I'll start trying to make a decision." 

Should a 2012 MotoGP ride prove impossible, Hopkins has 'plenty' of World Superbike options. 

"At the end of the day, I want to progress." he said. "Even if we don't get back to MotoGP next year, there are plenty of competitive options on the table in World Superbike. 

"So regardless, I'll be world championship racing next year. That I can say is certain." 

Also for certain is that Hopkins will be back in MotoGP, for a third 2011 appearance with Rizla Suzuki, during the Malaysian Grand Prix from October 21-23. 

The #21 finished tenth as a replacement for the injured Alvaro Bautista at this year's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, before being forced to withdraw from a wild-card ride at Brno due to a hand injury in practice. 

Should Hopkins seal a 2012 MotoGP ride, he would be the only rider other than seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi to have raced in 500cc. 

source: crash

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John Hopkins lands Sepang wild card ride

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John Hopkins will be back on a factory Suzuki MotoGP bike in the Malaysian round next month, MCN can reveal.

The American, who is currently leading the British Superbike championship for Paul Denning’s Samsung Crescent Suzuki squad, will partner Spaniard Alvaro Bautista in Sepang on October 23.

Hopkins was due to make a wild card appearance for Suzuki in Brno last month but a practice crash left him with a badly broken right hand and he was forced to withdraw from the race.

The former factory Kawasaki rider, who replaced injured Bautista in Jerez, has also been locked in talks about a potential wild card for Suzuki in the final round of the season in Valencia, though that seems unlikely.

A Suzuki spokesperson said: "John will be back with us for the Sepang race and everybody in the team is looking forward to welcoming him back. John is really fired up and determined to put the disappointment of Brno behind him."

source: MCN

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LCR Honda confirm Hopkins and de Puniet talks

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British superbike championship contender John Hopkins and French rider Randy de Puniet could land an LCR Honda ride in 2012 if Andrea Dovizioso fails to agree a deal with Lucio Cecchinello’s squad.

Cecchinello’s number one target for next season is Italian Dovizioso, who has also been linked with Cal Crutchlow’s Tech 3 Yamaha squad.

With Repsol Honda rider Dovizioso sizing up his options for next season, Cecchinello has also kicked off negotiations with American Hopkins and former rider de Puniet.

Hopkins turned down the chance to ride a Honda RC212V with struggling Spaniard Toni Elias at LCR in selected races earlier this season.

But he is keen to make a return to the world stage, though his preference would be to continue his relationship with Suzuki next year.

Hopkins impressed when he replaced injured Alvaro Bautista in Jerez earlier this season but a wild card chance on a factory GSV-R at last month’s Brno race ended in disaster when a practice crash left him with a badly broken right hand.

Pramac Ducati rider de Puniet is also in talks with Cecchinello. He rode for LCR for three years but split at the end of last season after Cecchinello moved for Moto2 world champion Elias.

He moved to Pramac Ducati but he has endured a nightmare on the GP11 and only scored two top 10 finishes in the opening 14 races.

Cecchinello told MCN: “We are in contact with John Hopkins and with Randy de Puniet. We still have an excellent relationship with Randy and especially after this year we understood it was a pity to stop our working relationship last year.

"We didn’t consider other options until now, despite the fact that (Alvaro) Bautista is in the market and Stefan Bradl also. Our first priority is Andrea, but if he signs with another team we are keen to consider Hopkins and de Puniet.”

Bradl is back on the market after his current Kiefer Racing Moto2 squad failed to secure the budget to lease a new Honda RC213V machine for the inaugural 1000cc MotoGP world championship in 2012.

The German held talks with Cecchinello earlier this season but a deal now seems unlikely.

Cecchinello said: "Honestly speaking after a tough season like this year, we would like to race with an experienced MotoGP rider. I’m not saying Bradl will not be fast in MotoGP but maybe he needs learning time and in our position it is really important to show to our sponsors an interesting plan and project.”

source: MCN

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Elena Myers to get Suzuki MotoGP laps at Indy

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Elena Myers will ride Suzuki's GSV-R MotoGP bike on Thursday, August 25th, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the day before the start of the grand prix weekend.

Myers became the first female to ever win an AMA Pro road race when she captured the AMA Pro SuperSport victory at Infineon Raceway last year. 

She also met the Rizla Suzuki team at the 2010 US MotoGP and a GSV-R ride was initially planned for the end of last season. That didn't happen, but the 17-year-old Californian wasn't forgotten. 

"Words cannot describe how excited I am to ride the Suzuki GSV-R at Indy during the MotoGP weekend," said Myers. 

"We had talked about it last year, but things didn't work out, so here's a big thanks to everyone involved for making this possible. 

"When I sat on the bike last year, it felt like it was made to fit me. So actually being able to spin a few laps on it will be quite the treat. I'm really looking forward to the weekend." 

Myers finished fifth overall in the 2011 AMA Pro SuperSport West Division for Suzuki - despite missing two rounds due to injury - picking up a podium at Barber Motorsports Park among five top-five finishes. 

"We are delighted to be able to give Elena this opportunity to get some understanding of how Suzuki's MotoGP bike feels and operates," said Rizla Suzuki team manager Paul Denning.

"She is a very talented racer - not "for a girl" - she's just fast full-stop! MotoGP is the pinnacle of every racer's ambition and there aren't so many people who have ridden the very latest 2011 GSV-R - Bautista, Hopkins, Aoki and now Elena! 

"I would guess she's also the only female racer to have ever ridden an 800cc MotoGP machine? Either way, we really hope she enjoys the experience."

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Day to forget for Rizla Suzuki at Brno

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Rizla Suzuki had its promising start to the weekend shattered at Brno today as firstly John Hopkins had to withdraw from the event and then Álvaro Bautista had a difficult qualifying session to leave him with a mountain to climb in tomorrow’s race.

Bautista will start from the fifth row of the grid after he failed to make a competitive lap-time and will need one of his great starts to be able to challenge with the front-runners in tomorrow’s race. He has a consistent race pace and was able to stay with other riders in the earlier part of the qualifying session, but was unable to put together a fast lap to move him up the grid as the session came to its climax.

Hopkins was forced to withdraw from the weekend’s event following a crash in this morning’s wet practice session. It has now been confirmed that he has broken three fingers on his right hand, but he will remain at Brno to support the team, before returning to America on Monday to have surgery to repair the damage.

Today’s qualifying was held in dry, but overcast conditions with track temperatures reaching 30ºC. Dani Pedrosa took pole position on his Honda, with reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo second and current championship leader Casey Stoner third.

Tomorrow’s race is round 11 of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship and the excitement gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).

Álvaro Bautista:

“I am not happy with the qualifying because we just didn’t get our best level today and we will have to start tomorrow near the back of the grid. My rhythm was not too bad when I followed other riders and I could stay with them, but to be able to do that in the race I have to make a good start again tomorrow and fight my way through. I can’t say much more because I am just not happy with how things went today.

“It was not a good day for the whole team with John crashing this morning and breaking his fingers. I feel very sorry for him because he did well yesterday and it looked like he’d have a good race. MotoGP racing is not always what you want it to be and these things happen, but I wish him a speedy recovery and hope he’s back soon.”

John Hopkins:

“I guess disappointed is the only word that can sum up how I feel! I must apologise to the whole team for making such a stupid mistake out there this morning. It was the smallest crash under braking in the wet conditions and as I slid along I kept my hand on the ground to try and slow me down, but as soon as I hit the gravel it went in and mangled my hand right up. I’ve fractured three fingers on my right hand. The index and middle finger are just normal fractures that probably wouldn’t have kept me off the bike, but the third finger has separated and split down the middle from the knuckle. It’s not a case of pain, strength or anything like that, it’s simply that I can’t bend the finger or both bones could come through the skin, so it would have been impossible to hold on to the bike.

“I think things went very well yesterday and I had every intention of being able to make another step forward today. I believe that the GSV-R is every bit capable of a consistent top-six finish and I think it’s a great machine. With the lack of seat time I’ve had, I don’t think that I could have matched the potential of what the bike is capable of doing. I know I didn’t yesterday and I think it still has another second a lap in it. I wish I could have gone out and achieved a good result for all involved and mainly to show Suzuki that they have a really good machine which has great potential.

“This is just another small setback in my journey to get back to full time MotoGP. I’ll stay here the rest of the weekend and give my full support to the team and do whatever I can to express my gratitude to them for giving me this opportunity. This is not the last time you’ll see me at a Grand Prix, I’m still destined to be back here, whether it’s this year or next I don’t know, but I will be back here!”

Paul Denning – Team Manger:

“Grand Prix racing isn’t easy and today showed that! Yesterday we were looking very strong with lap-times in the 57s and both riders in the top-10. Today John is in a cast and Álvaro’s qualified 14th and almost half-of-a-second slower than yesterday afternoon. We did have an issue with a vibration at the end of the qualifying, but frankly speaking, we expected a much better time than that earlier in the session when he had a brand new set of tyres. We all know how well he can race, but if we don’t qualify better we won’t be able to improve the race result.”

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Hopkins out of Brno Grand Prix

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John Hopkins crashed at turn three on his sixth lap in the very wet and slippery conditions, and as he slid into the gravel his right hand sustained an impact causing a break and dislocation of his third finger and fracture of his second finger. He was immediately taken to the medical centre to have x-rays, where the injury was diagnosed and set in traction Hopkins will now return to America to have an operation to repair the injury as he aims to ensure he is fit for the next round of the British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park later this month.

Rizla Suzuki wishes him a speedy recovery and will update on his progress as more information becomes known.

Paul Denning – Team Manager:

“This morning’s injury is a huge disappointment to all of us at Rizla Suzuki and of course mostly to John. He is completely devastated that he is not able to compete in the Grand Prix tomorrow, especially as his form yesterday was extremely promising. He was just building up to speed very gradually in the wet conditions and, on the first lap that he tried to push a little bit harder, he made a simple mistake and folded the front. It was on exactly the same corner that Casey had done the same thing at the start of the session, but John was just less lucky and as he entered the gravel trap the angle of his hand meant that the impact folded his fingers. This caused a substantial break to one finger and further damage to another. If the injury had been his left hand he would be on the GSV-R this afternoon, but to control a MotoGP bike and expect to be competitive with that injury to his throttle and braking hand is completely unrealistic. “From the team, thanks to John for being so professional and a pleasure to work with this weekend. It was also great to have a two-rider team again and all the clear advantages that it brings. Despite what happened this morning I believe everybody in MotoGP was impressed with the potential shown here in Brno by John. I have no doubt that we will see him on a Grand Prix bike again in the near future.”

Press release courtesy of Rizla Suzuki

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Strong start from Rizla Suzuki boys at Brno

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Bautista completed 32 laps at Brno circuit, recording a best time of 1’57.857 and grabbing eighth place on the leader board. Bautista was regularly in touch with the top six throughout both of Friday’s practices and is confident that with a few more adjustments to his GSV-R he can make further steps forward on Saturday.

Hopkins is appearing as a wild card at Brno and proved himself capable in both practice sessions. In the morning he signaled his intentions by finishing in seventh place and followed that up in the afternoon with an equally impressive 10th. His best time of 1’57.880 was only .023 seconds behind his team mate and just over three tenths of a second away from a top five finish. Hopkins knows he still has a lot of work to do, but is convinced there is still more to come from him and his machine.

Álvaro Bautista: 

“Today was my first full MotoGP day at Brno when fully fit, so I am pleased to have done that. Last year I crashed in the second free practice and the rest of the weekend was quite hard for me. The first thing today was to get a good feeling with the bike, but this morning I felt the bike slide a bit in the corners, this might have been because the track was a bit dirty, but we made a change that also helped to improve the problem. I can do a long run with used tyres and after 26 laps my rhythm was good and I could do low 58s. We then put in a new front and rear tyre and I was able to push a bit more, but I found some traffic on the last laps and I couldn’t improve my time. I am happy with today because I have done the fastest lap I’ve ever done at Brno, my previous best was 59.1 and today I did 57.8 so that is a good improvement. I have a good feeling with the bike and I’m sure we can improve the rhythm and the lap-time, so on Saturday we will work on a couple of things to do that. I am really looking forward to tomorrow because I think we can make a good position in qualifying to get a good start in Sunday’s race.”

John Hopkins: 

“First of all, I want to give a massive thanks to Suzuki, Paul Denning, Rizla, Fixi and all the other sponsors that have made this possible. The have all helped to ensure that the team has two bikes here at Brno, so once again thanks to all concerned. It’s been a big culture shock today, the most elite riders in the world are all packed in the MotoGP field, but it has still been a good day for us. When I rode in Jerez my mindset was still with prototype racing, because I hadn’t quite got into Superbike riding, but all this year I’ve got very comfortable with a Superbike and so coming into this weekend I was a bit afraid it would all feel totally different and I couldn’t ride a GP bike anymore – luckily that wasn’t the case! I tried to get comfortable this morning and follow as many people as possible, because to be honest I need as much help as I can get at the moment! I was well within the top 10 this morning and I managed to follow Álvaro and he showed me some lines – which was really cool – I was very happy with that, and the fact that he didn’t get upset and just let me follow. This afternoon we tried a few things with the bike to see where we could improve, but we never really went too far away from the set up we had this morning. We used a couple of tyre variations to see how they worked and that gives us something to go on for the rest of the weekend. I did a quicker lap today than my best lap here before, which was in the race in 2007, so that was a good thing. I’ll now sleep with the track on my mind and come back a lot better tomorrow morning, I’m sure if I can get more comfortable on the bike and find a rhythm, then I can get at least half a second of my time from today.”

Rizla Suzuki press release.

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Rizla Suzuki back to double strength for Brno

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Alvaro Bautista is looking forward to have someone on the other side of the Rizla Suzuki garage as the team gets ready for a two-pronged attack on the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno.

Bautista, who has been the sole Suzuki representative this season, will be paired with John Hopkins at Brno, the American securing a wild-card outing around the circuit he scored his best-ever MotoGP finish for the team in 2007.

An opportunity to measure himself against an experienced competitor, Bautista is hopeful Hopkins's knowledge will help him in his quest to continue up the MotoGP order.

“I've been relaxing since the last race with a few days at the beach and now I'm training hard and looking forward to Brno. The last two races have been very positive and I think as a whole we are in the best position we have been since I've been in MotoGP. We need to continue with the progress we've made recently and the results will start to come. 

“I had an injured back at Brno last year and couldn't ride at my best, but I'm 100 per cent now and will be pushing from day one. I hope John has a good weekend and enjoys himself; it will be good to have him there as it will give us the chance to push each other along. I'm sure we can work well together to get a good setting for the GSV-R and it will be nice to have a team mate again! I'm excited about the Brno race – I will be giving my maximum!”

Hopkins, who has taken in World Superbike and British Superbike events over the last two weekends, is also excited to be back on the GSV-R and is expecting to be more competitive than he was at Jerez when he stepped in as a late substitute for the injured Bautista.

“This is my third race in as many weeks and I am really looking forward to it! It's been very busy and doing these three different championships back-to-back is quite a challenge, but I am really excited to be back in amongst the big boys at MotoGP. When I rode at Jerez earlier in the year I'd had no real 2011 racing experience so it was a bit 'in at the deep end'. 

“It was also the first time I'd raced with my wrist working properly since the operation, up until then it was still healing and the few times I'd been on a bike in 2011 had been for pre-season tests and the filming shoot at Qatar. 

“Now I feel that I have gained more confidence and I'm riding better than ever. I'm really pumped that the race is at Brno because it is one of my favourite tracks and I hope I can go well. I'm under no illusions that it will be tough, because the other guys have been racing on MotoGP bikes all season and I'll need some time to get up to speed with the bike and tyres, but I'll be giving it all I've got to try to get a good result for the team.”

source: crash.net

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Versatile Hopkins ‘much better prepared’ for Brno

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John Hopkins says he cannot wait to make his return to the MotoGP paddock in the Czech Republic, where he will be making his second appearance for Rizla Suzuki this season.

The American is enjoying a remarkable career revival this year, just twelve months after a wrist injury almost forced him into retirement, Hopkins finding a good base in the British Superbike Championship riding the Samsung Crescent Suzuki.

It is a move that currently sees him in the midst of the BSB title battle, while it also allowed him to compete on the World Superbike stage over the weekend at Silverstone, Hopkins going on to stun the regulars by claiming pole position.

Indeed, with Hopkins returning to BSB duty at Brands Hatch this weekend before heading to Brno for a one-off outing at the Czech Republic Grand Prix, he joins an elite band of riders to compete in three different series' in a single year, let alone three consecutive weekends.

Coincidentally, former team-mate Yukio Kagayama has a similar feat to his name, while he can even boast a fourth series having squeezed in the Suzuka 8 Hours event over a course of nine weeks.

“This has been an incredible run of races for me and it is a pretty big deal to do three different championships in three weekends! I know Yukio did it in 2003 and carried on with an amazing run of nine consecutive races, I just have no idea how he managed that! 

“It was good to get back to World racing last weekend at Silverstone, we did ok there, but I think we deserved a little better after qualifying on pole. We'd know how to get a better race distance result if we went back now! The weekend was a boost for all of us as it showed we are good enough to be there.”

Reflecting on his upcoming MotoGP wild-card, Hopkins – who stepped in for the injured Alvaro Bautista on the Rizla Suzuki at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this season – is delighted to be getting out on the premier stage once more at the circuit he scored his best-ever MotoGP result of second in 2007.

“This week at Brands will be busy as we have three races over two days, so there will be little time for rest and relaxation, but the BSB title is my main goal this weekend so I am totally focused on that. Then we go to Brno for the MotoGP race, it's a really big pleasure to be given this opportunity by Suzuki and I am going there much better prepared than when I rode as a replacement at the start of the season.

“It's an amazing thing to be in this position when I consider where I was at with my physical condition just a year ago, and I'm so grateful to everyone that has helped me to get back to a decent level. I just hope that from these three race weekends I can produce some quality as well as quantity to repay the faith shown in me. One thing I can guarantee is 100 per cent commitment!”

source: crash.net

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Hopkins and Rizla Suzuki re-unite for Brno round

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John Hopkins will make his second appearance of the season for the Rizla Suzuki squad,  this time as a team-mate for Álvaro Bautista rather than as a replacement. Hopkins deputised for the injured Spaniard at Jerez and scored a creditable 10thplace at the Spanish Grand Prix, due to Bautista’s inability to ride following the broken femur he suffered in Qatar.

The Anglo-American racer last rode at Brno for Rizla Suzuki in 2007 and recorded his best-ever finish in a MotoGP race by bringing his Suzuki GSV-R home in second place - a result that went some way to seeing Hopkins secure fourth place in the championship that season.

Hopkins is currently in second place in the British Superbike championship onboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000 with the Samsung Crescent Racing team. His next event is at Silverstone in England, when he gets a taste of World Championship motorcycle racing as he competes in the WSB series on Sunday 29th July.

John Hopkins:

“It’s a real thrill to get the opportunity to ride at Brno and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m very pleased that we have been able to achieve it because it is something we have been working on for a long time. To be honest it couldn’t be at a better track for me either, I had my best result in my MotoGP career at that track and I’m really pumped that I am going there again. As far as the Suzuki goes, I think it’s a great bike and the package is a lot better than when I last rode it in 2007. I think that in comparison to what I was able to do in Jerez, I believe I will be able to perform a lot better because back then I hadn’t been on a bike in a competitive environment for six or seven months. I got thrown in at the deep-end in Spain, but this time I will have a lot more race-craft. It’s also a huge benefit for me to be riding alongside Álvaro instead of riding in-place of him, so that will be really good, not just for me but for the whole team. With the two of us we can help develop the bike and share the extra data to get the best out of the GSV-R. It will be better to be riding with him in the team instead of replacing him, because nobody likes to see a rider injured and having more bikes on the grid is always better for everyone. I really want to thank everyone at Suzuki for giving me this chance and my Samsung Crescent team back in England for letting me take the opportunity to go back to MotoGP – even if it is just for one ride at the moment!”

Paul Denning – Team Manager:

“Everyone at Rizla Suzuki is looking forward to welcoming John back into the fold for the Brno Grand Prix. It is a track that the GSV-R has gone well at in the past, a track that John really enjoys and we’ll be doing everything we can to give him a decent platform to get a good result. We also hope that John’s MotoGP experience and data during the weekend will help us find a better solution for both riders and increase our performance overall.”

Press release courtesy of Rizla Suzuki

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John Hopkins Will Not Race On Estoril

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John Hopkins will not race on Estoril this weekend. This American rider was unable to ride because he ride on British Superbike with Samsung Suzuki. Suzuki's Paul Denning told that Nobuatsu Aoki is ready to replace Alvaro Bautista, in case Baustista cannot ride.

"We are just not in the business of letting a lot of people down and a large number of people have come on board as part of the Crescent BSB team based on John’s involvement."

"John did a brilliant job in Jerez to prove his own ability, but to be in a championship over the course of a year to show his strength and consistency and to compete in a fist fight that BSB is, that is just as important for his future career."

"We’re just not willing to break agreements basically. To pull John out of a BSB round to be at Estoril when he might not even ride the bike just doesn’t make any sense. Nobuatsu will be in Estoril for the whole weekend because he is testing on Monday, so if we need him he will be there."

Nobuatsu Aoki is Suzuki's test and development rider.

source: MCN

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John Hopkins Ready For Jerez

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Rizla Suzuki choose John Hopkins to replace Alvaro Bautista on next round MotoGP at Jerez. John Hopkins will make a return to MotoGP racing and reunited with the Rizla Suzuki team. John Hopkins was on the 4th place on 2007 MotoGP standings.

“I was shocked by what happened to Álvaro, especially after such good winter testing, and I really wish him a speedy and full recovery - I wanted the opportunity to get back on a MotoGP bike, but not under these circumstances,” explained Hopkins, who rode the GSV-R during the Qatar Test, but only for some commercial filming.

“I’m under no illusions that this will be tough weekend for me, as I’ve not been on a GP machine for a couple of years or ridden the new control tyres – except for the filming I did in Qatar a couple of weeks ago – so I realise this will be a step up from what I have been riding recently. The bikes have moved on in the last three years, but when I rode the GSV-R at Losail it seemed so familiar and I immediately had a good feeling, but that was at filming pace, so it’s going to be a lot different at race pace!”

Hopkins continued: “I know the Jerez track well, so it’s not like I need to learn a new circuit and I also know the team well so that that will help a lot. I will certainly be trying as hard as I can to get a good result and make sure that I don’t disappoint anybody – myself included. I want to say a big thank you to Suzuki and Rizla for giving me this opportunity and I intend to pay back their faith with a good performance on my return to MotoGP.”

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