HOPKINS SECURES SEASON''S BEST START FOR TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP
30 April 2005 - Suzuki Racing

Team SUZUKI MotoGP racer John Hopkins qualified in a fantastic fourth place for the Taobao Grand Prix of China tomorrow.

Hopkins (2''00.666) recorded his fastest lap towards the end of this afternoon''s Qualifying Practice at a hot and humid - but dry - Shanghai International Circuit.

His quickest lap-time was less than a second behind pole-setter Sete Gibernau on a Honda. Hopkins said: ''I''m quite pleased with my position. It''s a shame I didn''t get on the front row because I know that was achievable.

''Fortunately it was dry this afternoon, but unfortunately it was the only clean session we had with plenty of grip. We needed more time to practice and get the set-up right and run more race tyres. We only had half a session on Bridgestone race rubber and like all the other riders we spent most of this afternoon on qualifiers. I''m almost sure of what tyres I will use in the race though and that is a positive thing.

''In my mind, if I can keep my Suzuki GSV-R and the Bridgestone tyres up the front from the start, I''ll be doing all I can to stay there. It''s now just a question of what the weather will do, I would prefer it dry but if it''s wet I want it full wet and not half and half like yesterday.''

Kenny Roberts Jr (2''01.086) will start from the third row tomorrow following his best qualifying session of the season so far.

Roberts Jr produced his quickest time on the second lap of a qualifying tyre that is only designed to do one lap. He said: ''I took it tentatively on the first lap on the tyre because I didn''t have such a confident feeling, but I managed to do my fast time on the second lap.

''Today was a strange day again, it was semi-wet this morning and the only dry session we had was the qualifying in the afternoon. Either way I feel fine but I think I would prefer it wet for the race because of the characteristics of the circuit and where the Suzuki GSV-R is at the moment.

''That said we will try as hard as we can, third row is a happy medium - it''s not too far back from the front - and I will try to get into a groove over the first couple of laps and see how things go from there.''

Hopkins'' Chief Technician Stuart Shenton was pleased with the Anglo-American''s performance. He said: ''It was a good effort by John and it was a shame that another rider got in the way on his out lap as I''m sure it would have been even better.

''We now have a good choice of Bridgestone tyres for race day, but we have too wait and see what the weather does.

''John and I are happy with the set-up for the bike and we will also now look at the data we have collected from today''s session to see if we can make anymore improvements for the race.''

Team SUZUKI MotoGP will be racing in round three of the MotoGP World Championship - the first ever Grand Prix of China - tomorrow at 15.00hrs (local time) 09.00 (CET) from the futuristic and spectacular Shanghai International Circuit.

Taobao Grand Prix of China Qualifying Practice Classification

1. Sete Gibernau (Honda) 1''59.710: 2. Marco Melandri (Honda) +0.163: 3. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) +0.770: 4. JOHN HOPKINS (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +0.956: 5. Nicky Hayden (Honda) +1.037: 6. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +1.111: 7. Carlos Checa (Ducati) +1.192: 8. Toni Elias (Yamaha) +1.371: 9. KENNY ROBERTS JR (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.375: 10. Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) +1.388:

www.suzuki-racing.com

More News
  For April 2005
  From Suzuki Racing
  For Moto GP
  Biker247.com Home Page