Hopkins goes down fighting as Roberts Jr scores points

[totalmotorcycle]

Hopkins goes down fighting as Roberts Jr scores points

PRESS RELEASE

Team SUZUKI MotoGP racer John Hopkins was fighting hard for a top five position at today's Portuguese Grand Prix when a brief shower caused him to crash whilst challenging for a higher position.

The 21-year-old made a fantastic start from the fourth row of the grid and by the end of lap one was in seventh place. He held onto this position and regularly challenged the two riders in front of him until on lap 17 disaster struck and the Anglo-American crashed out. He said: "I am gutted to have crashed. I got a good start and was chasing Colin Edwards and Marco Melandri all the time.

"I tipped into the corner and guess it was wetter than it looked, from then on I was just along for the ride.

"I'm really disappointed for me, the team and Bridgestone because I know I could have been on for my best ever MotoGP finish - but I'm encouraged by our potential."

Hopkins posted consistently quick lap-times and recorded the sixth fastest lap of the race, that was eventually won by Brazilian Alex Barros on a Honda.

The Estoril circuit was under constant threat of rain and only 26,121 spectators braved the conditions after an overnight downpour had left the track damp.

The likelihood of frequent sharp showers meant that circuit conditions were far from perfect. New regulations that saw the white flag shown - allowing riders to enter the pits and change their machines - were used for the first time during the race. Despite frantic pit preparations by all teams no riders came in to swap their bikes, which the new rules allow riders to do if conditions alter after the race has started.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP racer Kenny Roberts Jr finished the second round of the MotoGP World Championship in a points scoring 12th place.

Roberts Jr completed his first race of the season following a long battle with Yamaha's Tony Elias and the Ducati of Roberto Rolfo, which eventually saw the former World Champion come out on top. Roberts Jr said: "It was pretty dangerous out there and we just never knew what the weather was doing. I couldn't make the bike do what I wanted it to, so we still have some issues to address before the next race. We are testing tomorrow, so I hope that will help us to find the solutions.

"It's good to get my first race finish - I was disappointed with last week's result and although I wasn't where I wanted to be in today's race, it's still important to score points."

Team Manager Paul Denning was frustrated with the result but able to take many positives from the race. Denning commented: "It was good to see John up there with Colin and Marco and pulling away from the Hondas of Troy Bayliss and Nicky Hayden.

"John was riding the bike to its absolute limits and beyond, and was very unlucky not to get a great result. I am very unhappy with the result, but very happy with the effort and potential John displayed.

"Kenny had a difficult weekend and to see him score points after a race with other riders showed his commitment to try and overcome all the setbacks that have hampered him here in Portugal."

Team SUZUKI MotoGP now travels to Shanghai in China for the third round of the MotoGP World Championship. This will be the first time that Roberts Jr and Hopkins race at the circuit because the event on May 1st is the first ever Chinese MotoGP.

Portuguese Grand Prix (Round 2) - Result:

1. Alex Barros (Honda) 47'14.053: 2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +2.771: 3. Max Biaggi (Honda) +6.071: 4. Marco Melandri (Honda) +29.546: 5. Carlos Checa (Ducati) +29.774: 6. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) +44.216: 7. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 57.121: 8. Shinya Nakano (Kawasaki) +59.847: 9. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) +1'07.718: 10. Ruben Xaus (Yamaha) 1'22.431. 12. KENNY ROBERTS JR (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1'34.051: DNF. JOHN HOPKINS (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP)

Championship Points (after two rounds):

1. Rossi 45: 2. Barros 38: 3. Melandri 29: 4. Biaggi 25: 5 Sete Gibernau (Honda) 20: 6. Nakano 19: 7. Checa 17: 8. Edwards 17: 9. Troy Bayliss (Honda) 15: 10. Capirossi 10: 16. KENNY ROBERTS JR 4: 18. JOHN HOPKINS 2:

[QuietMonkey]

hee hee hee... but it was worse to see Sete bite the dust. Digging himself a hole in the kitty litter

Luckily when Edwards bit the dust he got back on, lost only a couple spots, and picked up points.

Barros was really on it that weekend!

The MotoGP was a bit pedestrian, but the 250s were AWESOME!