Motourage

Samsung Crescent Racing has confirmed that John Hopkins will not ride at Cadwell Park this weekend, the ninth round of the 2011 British Superbike Championship.

The injury to the Suzuki rider’s right hand that he damaged at the Brno MotoGP in the Czech Republic is healing well, but doctors advise it is insufficiently healed to enable him to race again so soon. The team has also confirmed that there will be no replacement rider for Hopkins; Jon Kirkham will be their sole representative on track.

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“Unfortunately Hopper’s hand is not healed enough to race this weekend and while this is disappointing to us and the fans it is the right decision when we consider the upcoming Showdown phase of the Championship.

“Hopper’s been in daily contact as he’s undergone intensive laser treatment and hyperbaric chamber sessions. He’s explained the external pins are expected to be removed on Wednesday, but of course the weekend is too soon after that for his hand to be sufficiently healed.

“We will, we suspect, lose a few podium points to our rivals in the Showdown, but to race a Superbike at a track such as this when you don’t have 100 percent strength in your throttle and brake hand is simply too dangerous both to the rider and his competitors and would only stand to slow Hopper’s recovery from the injury.

“The team will nonetheless be at very near full-strength as we look forward to giving Jon Kirkham additional resources for the weekend. He’ll have two crew chiefs working for him as well as his regular crew of mechanics and we hope this will fast track his set-up, allowing him to get back to where he belongs; at the front of the field.”

John Hopkins placed 4-3-2 for the weekend at the eighth round of the 2011 British Superbikes Championship at the Brands Hatch GP. Hopkins Samsung Crescent Suzuki teammate, Jon Kirkham, placed 9-8-10.

Saturday’s Race 1 saw a dramatic change in conditions as a light drizzle fell over the circuit. Hopkins elected to ride on intermediate tires. After challenging for the lead at mid-distance, he dropped to fourth as the track dried and his tires degraded.

Kirkham hit a technical issue that meant he only rode three laps in first practice. He recovered well to make 11th-fastest in second practice but missed out on making the final 10 in qualifying. Starting race one from P16, he pulled through to an impressive ninth by the flag, only 22 seconds off the lead.

For both Hopkins and Kirkham it was a tough first race on Sunday having to battle from the third and fourth rows respectively at the start. Hopkins was in fine form, and despite gear-shift issues, was able to fight his way through traffic, finishing third. Kirkham also rode a strong race to come through to eighth, 17 seconds behind the winner.

Hopkins had a front-row start for the final race and capitalized to take second position off the start. He held on to the leader, Tommy Hill, for most of the race distance but had to settle for second to secure yet more podium credits. Kirkham also made a good start, but after getting hemmed in at the first turn, he found himself in an eight-bike battle for eighth, finally finishing in 10th.

John Hopkins:
“It all went well today. We had a little issue with shifting gear in that first race and so I couldn’t ride as hard as I’d like to have, but I was very happy to pick up that last podium credit. In the second race the bike was perfect and everything was great but Tommy Hill rode really well; I couldn’t have ridden any harder; it hurts to be beaten, but we did what was needed.

“Importantly I’m now secure in the top six for the Showdown and that’s exciting and something I can really look forward to. Going to Cadwell Park I don’t need to worry about Championship points and will instead ride for the podium credits – they’re most-important now. Once again the team proved just how good it is this weekend, sorting the shifter-issues between races today and the bike was perfect for that last race. We’re looking set for a great time at Cadwell Park.”

Jon Kirkham:
“Three top-10 finishes from three rides – I should be happy with that after my recent run of bad luck, but I can’t be totally happy though: The first race today was hard work, so to come away with a second-row start for the last race was a good outcome. But then I got trapped in the pack on turn one and all the good work was undone. I got some decent lap times in but got stuck behind another rider, so the result could have been better.

“I know the Title Fighters really is a long shot for me now: 24 points doesn’t sound so much, but at this level all the riders know how to get results. I’ve still got the goal to improve my results though and I think top-six finishes are achievable – as long as I get my starts sorted. I’m still looking to improve.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
‘It’s been a tough but successful weekend. We’ve got a strong set of results. Overall I think Hopper netted the most points of any rider this weekend – again he’s been a consistent and strong points scorer, showing the kind of form which is going to be decisive come the Showdown. He’s off to Brno now for a little MotoGP action, and the whole team is willing him to do well; he’s on top form.

“JK had a better weekend. Unfortunately so did the other riders around him who are all vying for that final spot on the Title Fighters list. He’s only 24 points off that sixth position and with three races to run at Cadwell Park; mathematically he could do it, but I think we’ll need quite a few factors to come into play for it to go his way and we have to be realistic. The important thing is JK is showing good form. I can see he’s riding with a lot more confidence and building on this weekend, top-six finishes at Cadwell Park should be possible.”

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The Samsung Crescent Racing Team heads to Brands Hatch GP this week for the eighth round of the 2011 British Superbikes Championship after a successful trip to Silverstone where John Hopkins took pole position and two top-10 finishes. The team is anticipating another highly-competitive weekend of racing at what is a crucial point in the BSB season.

Jon Kirkham

With two rounds – six races – remaining before the Championship switches to its Showdown phase – the final three rounds where only the top six riders can compete for the Championship – John Hopkins is second in the title standings. Although Hopkins lies 32 points adrift of the lead rider, only podium points carry forward to the Showdown, and in that category, Hopkins is only one point off the lead.

John Kirkham is currently seventh in the Championship, just 20 points outside the top six, but with a maximum potential of 150 points up for grabs, he could overcome this quite readily.

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“The team is really buzzing after the Silverstone weekend. Coming after two very successful tests it was another demonstration of our true potential. And as the BSB Championship gets closer to the final Showdown we’re again contenders for the title.

“Hopper’s clearly on top of his game. After qualifying fastest at Silverstone it was always going to be a tall order for him to back that up with a podium finish – the factory-backed WSB Superbikes have an edge on us on top speed – but again he showed his ability to take his bike to the very limit of its capability and bring home the high-scores.

“Earlier in testing here at Brands Hatch GP we found within his first half an hour on track Hopper was on BSB race pace. Importantly he says he loves this circuit. He’s having fun out there. For everyone else in the paddock that’s a dangerous mood for Hopper to be in.

“JK’s probably suffered a few rookie-blues this season; he’s had his fair share of misfortunes, but he’s still in the fight. JK’s on the edge of the Title Fighters top-six and with six races over the next two rounds he stands a very good chance of netting the points he needs to be in the running for the Showdown. He’ll remember he scored a strong fifth finish at Brands at the 2011 season opener, so he’ll be looking to get back to his top-six form over the weekend. All in all, we’re definitely looking forward to some strong performances this weekend.”

Samsung Crescent Racing’s John Hopkins raced to fifth and seventh places today as a wild card entry in the World Superbike Championship round at Silverstone in the UK.

Following his victory in Superpole yesterday – where he set a new lap record – the Suzuki GSX-R1000-mounted British Superbike Championship contender started both of today’s races from pole position, going into the opening race full of fight and dicing for the lead in the early stages. But with a riding style that dictates use of the rear brake, disaster struck mid-way through race one for the American when he suffered a rear brake issue, effectively ending hopes of a podium finish. But he still finished the race in an impressive fifth place.

In race two, Hopkins was at the sharp end of the action, battling hard with WSBK title contenders Marco Melandri, Max Biaggi and Eugene Laverty.

For team mate Jon Kirkham, a pair of finishes in the points was a positive step forward after struggling in qualifying yesterday. Finishing race one in 14th and going on to set faster times in race two – some 15 seconds faster over race distance – to come home in 15th signified solid progress, when other British Championship riders crashed out of contention.

John Hopkins:
“Boy that was a lot of fun. The first race was a bit of a disappointment with the rear brake pad issues, but I managed to alter my corner-entry and keep my focus to bag that fifth place. Race two felt better, but to keep with those factory bikes you really need to make up time on the brakes and on the gas out of the turns. I knew that would kill my tyre, so it was no surprise in the closing stages of race two when we started losing the times. Overall, I’m really pumped about this weekend. It’s been huge fun and we’ve showed the World what the Samsung Crescent Suzuki team is really capable of. I’ve bagged my first-ever World Superbike pole position, mixed it up at the sharp end and enjoyed the racing immensely. A huge thanks to the whole team.”

Jon Kirkham:
“Not quite what I hoped for this weekend, but a pair of points-finishes in World Superbike is definitely something to be pleased with and you still can’t beat the feeling of dicing with your heroes like Troy Corser. Crucially we were a day behind really: After my struggles in practice and qualifying – and an attempt to alter my riding style a little after seeing Hopper’s times – I just reverted to my old self today and started to go much better. Anyway, the bonus to take away from this is that we’ve now got a lot of data for the Silverstone BSB round and I can go to Brands Hatch next weekend with plenty of confidence.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“What a weekend. First we’re fastest in practice, then on Pole position and then dicing for the lead, before rounding the weekend off with two great results and both riders in the points. This was always going to be a challenge, but thanks to the support from all of our sponsors, including Samsung and Fixi, we were able to show the World what we’re capable of and leave Silverstone with our heads held high.

“Hopper rode two great races, JK demonstrated his ability to bounce back despite set-backs and crucially, we leave here with a great deal of data for the BSB round later in the year. Now we head to Brands Hatch this weekend coming full of confidence: A great team effort and huge thanks to the entire team.”

RESULTS:

Race 1:
1 Carlos Checa 38m06.477s
2 Eugene Laverty +3.304s
3 Marco Melandri +4.782s
4 Leon Haslam +7.116s
5 John Hopkins +11.057s
6 Sylvain Guintoli +21.899s

Race 2:
1 Carlos Checa 38m03.361s
2 Eugene Laverty +2.274s
3 Marco Melandri +3.675s
4 Max Biaggi +3.960s
5 Leon Camier +4.405s
6 Sylvain Guintoli +10.958s
7 John Hopkins  + 11.387s

Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki demonstrated its world-class pedigree today at round nine of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone in the UK as a wild card John Hopkins blitzed WSBK regulars to win Superpole with a new lap record of 2.04.041.

Starting first practice fastest, Suzuki GSX-R1000-mounted Hopkins and the team decided to play it safe in the subsequent practice sessions, but by qualifying, they made it count to take the top spot, beating Irishman Eugene Laverty and Britain’s Leon Camier to pole position in the process.

In contrast to the Hopkins’ euphoria, on the other side of the garage, teammate Jon Kirkham has struggled to find his pace and will begin tomorrow from the back of the grid.

John Hopkins:
“The Samsung Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 felt real good from the off and after setting the fastest time in FP1 we started to believe that we could do something special here this weekend. As we’re running just the one bike, I settled a little to make sure nothing silly happened and then pulled the pin in Q2 and just got my head down in that and Superpole. The bike feels great and I can’t thank the team enough for giving me the package to do this on: Let’s just hope we can turn this into something even more special come tomorrow.”

Jon Kirkham:
“I’m just struggling to find my confidence and rhythm here this weekend. With Hopper going so well I know I can go faster, and in the second practice session it started to go the right way, but after that, just no more improvement. The races will be a different story altogether though and if I can find some rhythm I’m sure I can bag a decent result or two.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“What a result. We turned up here without any real data as Hopper’s only completed around 25 laps here in testing before, so to end FP1 quickest, we had a little smile and hoped this could be the start of something special. In truth, we turned the wick down a little after Qualifying 2 for damage limitation with just the one bike and then went all guns blazing for Superpole. It’s a great result and tomorrow’s another day, but let’s just say that for now; we’re feeling optimistic. A big thank you to the whole team.”

Silverstone WSBK front row:
1 John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 2m04.041s
2 Eugene Laverty (IRL) Yamaha 2m04.068s
3 Leon Camier (GBR) Aprilia 2m04.303s
4 Carlos Checa (ESP) Ducati 2m04.362s

Samsung Crescent Suzuki’s John Hopkins and Jon Kirkham will race at this weekend’s British round of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone. The GSX-R1000-mounted teammates – currently second and seventh in the British Superbike Championship – have been confirmed as wild card entries for the race, which is round nine of the series.

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“This is a kind of busman’s holiday; taking a break from racing by going racing. But seriously, taking a one-off ride in the WSB series is a great way for our riders to further develop their bikes and practice some race craft without the pressures of the Championship they’re in – and at the same time giving the fans and sponsors an extra run-out.

“We’ve had good success in the past with wild card rides too – like Tom Sykes’ podium in 2008 – we’re not there just to make up the numbers. And we can bet Hopper will be out to make a statement or two. We’re certainly looking to run competitively. Our only disadvantage is that we normally run under British Superbike rules, which allows only one bike per rider, not two. That said, we’ve got one of the most professional teams in the sport; they’re able to turn any job around very quickly and very accurately. We should be okay.

“This will be valuable track time at Silverstone for Hopper and will be excellent preparation for when we come back for the BSB Showdown round later this year; there’s nothing like racing to get a real grip on how a bike’s performing at a circuit. JK is needing some extra bike time too. We’ve been working hard to find an optimum set-up for him and the WSB weekend will offer him plenty of good track time to improve his set-up. We’re really looking forward to it, and hopefully we can spring a surprise or two on the regulars.”

John Hopkins will race for the Rizla Suzuki team at the Czech Republic round of the MotoGP World Championship at Brno on Sunday August 14; his second appearance of the season for the Rizla Suzuki squad. However, this time he will competing alongside Alvaro Bautista rather than as his replacement.

Hopkins finished a very respectable 10th in Jerez

Hopkins filled in at Jerez while Bautista was recovering from a broken femur and scored a creditable 10th place at the Spanish Grand Prix.

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 World Superbike series, also as a wild card, on Sunday July 29.

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 Alvaro 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.”

Samsung Crescent Racing’s John Hopkins slid out of the opening race at today’s rain-lashed British Superbike Championship round at Oulton Park in Cheshire while leading and on course for a win. Although uninjured, he was unable to continue; and with high winds and rain battering the circuit, the meeting was abandoned before the second race. Hopkins’ teammate Jon Kirkham rode well to secure a ninth-placed finish and sufficient points to lift him into seventh in the BSB Championship Standings.

After promising much, race day at the seventh round of the 2011 BSB Championship was hit by strong winds and rain. The only BSB race was run in wet conditions but, as he promised, Hopkins started well; leaping off pole position to take the holeshot. Hopkins was building a lead when he was unlucky enough to crash at Lodge Corner on the seventh lap.

Kirkham had started that race from 13th, and, after finishing lap one in 14th, fought his way back to ninth to score some solid Championship-bolstering points.

The meeting was abandoned after the race stewards and team managers met to discuss the safety implications of continuing the meeting in such inclement conditions. All agreed, the meeting had to abandoned and the lost races will now be re-scheduled as part of the August Bank Holiday meeting at Cadwell Park.

John Hopkins:
“Going into that first race, I was feeling confident. I got off to a decent start and I gave it a lap-or-two to find my feet, during which time Shane Byrne came past. My objective then was to make a clean pass on Byrne and to build a lead. I wanted to make a break and avoid any havoc that might come later in the race.

“I was doing nothing adventurous when I slid off at Lodge Corner. Our data-logging showed I was 3km/h slower than my previous entry speed and I was in fact braking lighter, but the front just went away. Sometimes in racing that’s just the way it goes.

“My only regret is that we didn’t have that second race so I could make amends. But I agree with the decision to abandon. I’ve still plenty of positives to take away from the weekend and I’m very happy with how my bike and the team are performing. We’re still in a very strong position in this championship.”

Jon Kirkham:
“The conditions today were treacherous and I just wanted to finish that first race. There wasn’t much to it other than to do my best. I’d have liked to have ridden a second race as well as we’d worked on some settings for a better wet set-up and I was sure I could get a good result with a bit of a push – but I respect the decision.

“So, on balance; a positive ride for me today. To score some vital points and to jump back up to seventh in the standings isn’t a bad outcome.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“A dismal day. The rain and winds robbed us of what could have been a spectacular day’s racing. Nonetheless, Hopper showed us his true potential this weekend, topping every practice, qualifying; then leading the race. He’s shown he means business and is a serious contender for the Championship. He was extremely unlucky to crash; he was doing nothing wrong as all of our data showed us it was situation normal in the cockpit. Hopper was just victim to the variability in the conditions.

“I was happy to see JK put in a good ride, too. It may not seem so dazzling – ninth – but it was a strong, mature ride in difficult conditions and it achieved what was needed, JK’s back up to seventh in the Championship. From there, with some decent results, he can yet make the top-six in time for the Showdown.”

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship:
1 Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha)
2 Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +5.492s
3 Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +5.669s
4 Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +5.755s
5 Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +6.789s
6 Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +7.128s
7 Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +13.055s
8 James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +18.699s
9 Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) +18.960s
10 Scott Smart (Moto Rapido Ducati) +21.619s

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings:
1 Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 214
2 John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) 182
3 Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 165
4 Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) 129
5 Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 121
6 Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) 111
7 Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) 91

An all-new track will greet the Samsung Crescent Racing Team for this weekend’s sixth round of the 2011 British Superbikes Championship as Snetterton’s winter reconstruction gives the Norfolk circuit an extra mile of track, and, at three miles long, the “Snetterton 300” becomes the second longest track in the UK.

American John Hopkins holds 2nd place in the BSB title chase, trailing Shakey Byrne by 31 points

The former WWII-era United States Air Force base will offer a level playing field for American BSB rookie John Hopkins, as all the riders will have to get to grips with the new layout. For Hopkins, this could be an opportunity to make a big points – and podium credits – haul as he looks to strengthen his hold on second position in the championship – and challenge for the lead.

Teammate Jon Kirkham will be looking to grab the top-five finishing positions his lap times have shown should be his as he endeavors to join Hopkins in BSB’s elite top six.

John Hopkins:
“I’m looking to score a lot of points and net a lot of podium credits this weekend. My shoulder injury from Knockhill, while not completely healed, will not bother me. I went to the Clinica Mobile at the Dutch GP at the weekend and after the laser treatment and expert physio I’m in great shape.

“We tested here at Snetterton 300 last Tuesday and I like the track. It’s the usual job of joining the dots to make the lap flow and there’s a lot happening in the first half of the lap; there’s lots to consider – it’ll be a busy weekend. But the bike felt great and I’ve got a good feel for what’s to come.”

Jon Kirkham:
“What a track. After Knockhill it took a few laps here to get used to riding the bike at top speed again as this is one fast circuit. But it’s also one with lots of passing places and I think we can look forward to some brilliant racing.

“I know what my job is for the weekend. I’ve got to nail two top-fives and enough points to get back into the top six in the standings and consolidate my position there.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“We had a good test here last week. Both riders got in plenty of laps and comfortably set good lap times. Every lap meant more circuit knowledge and this will be important come the start of Friday’s practice – we’ll be starting straight away from a good base on which to build for qualifying and the races.

“Hopper’s reporting his shoulder’s feeling much stronger and is now comfortable given the rest and the work the Clinica Mobile people did on it. I’m sure he’ll be on the pace and grabbing a good number of points and podium credits this weekend. JK should be on the pace as well. He was setting lap times comparable to the front runners during his comeback ride in race two at Knockhill. He’s got the pace and he’s shown he can beat everyone in the paddock. He just needs to put it all together consistently every weekend.

“For the fans we’re certainly facing an exciting weekend. A new track means new lap records; new everything, just at the right time for the Championship.”

John Hopkins maintains second position in the 2011 British Superbike Championship after placing second in race one at Knockhill yesterday, but unfortunately crashed out of the second race in circumstances beyond his control. His Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki-mounted teammate Jon Kirkham finished 8th and11th to lift himself to eighth in the championship after five rounds.

After wet practice and qualifying, yesterday’s races were held in dry conditions, so there was a degree of relearning the track for Hopkins, but he learned quickly and while being unable to challenge for the win in race one, he was able to defend his second place position when under sustained attack in the closing stages.

The second outing proved a major disappointment for Hopkins when a rear tire issue compromised his race from the very start and eventually led to him crashing out on lap seven. Unwittingly, Kirkham was brought down in the melee but was able to remount and battle back to 11th place.

John Hopkins:
“Race one went well. I’m glad I had that test session here 11 days ago as the knowledge I gained from that certainly helped. I was riding too tight at the beginning to be able to match Tommy Hill, but as the race progressed I understood the track better and so was able to defend my position against Shane Byrne.

“Right from the start of race two I was struggling with an issue that seriously compromised rear grip. This led me to crash when the bike wouldn’t slow coming into turn two. As I went down I hit my elbow and shoulder on the curb and so I’m pretty sore, but I should be okay with some rest.

“Fortunately we’re still where we want to be: in the top six, still in second place. And importantly, we racked up more podium credits, which are going to be vital come the Showdown. The bike itself was excellent today and I’m sure we’ll be battling for podiums again come Snetterton in two weeks time.”

Jon Kirkham:
“I’m disappointed because I wanted to achieve much more this weekend. We had a brake problem in warm up this morning which meant I didn’t sort a dry setting for the races. Then in race one I had rear grip issues, so finished eighth.
“In the second race I started from P13. I made a poor start and then straight after the first pace car I found John and his bike sliding on the track immediately in front of me. I went grass tracking to avoid a collision – and slid off. I was so annoyed with myself that I picked up my bike and rode on aggression through to the finish.

“So, not the weekend I was looking for. I’m looking forward to Snetterton, though; I liked this track when we tested there earlier in the year. I’ll be looking to score better points and make that jump back into the top-six.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager:
“Hopper ran another calculated race in the first outing today. With his limited dry-track knowledge it was always going to be difficult for him to match Hill, but his defense against Byrne at the race-end was inspired.

“What happened in the second race was through no fault of his own. A rear grip issue left him with compromised control and he crashed while trying to overcome that. Inadvertently his crash brought about what was probably the ride of the weekend from JK. His charge from lying last (27th) to finish 11th, passing some top riders on the way, was nothing short of brilliant.

“All up, we’ve certainly had a tough day. We’re fortunate that we’ve really only sustained minor damages so far as the Championship goes. Hopper’s position looking forward to the Showdown is still very strong and JK has in fact improved his position even if he didn’t leapfrog straight into the top-six as we’d hoped.

“So we’re looking forward to Snetterton in a fortnight’s time. With the new ’300′ track layout, Hopper for once, won’t be the only track Rookie – it’ll be the same for everybody. Our goals will remain unchanged: more podium points for Hopper and an uplift to top-six for JK.”
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