As we already know John Hopkins will be making his MotoGP return this weekend to replace injured Alvaro Bautista in Rizla Suzuki.
His return, however briefly it will be, sparked a pretty crazy rumor that came from the Donington WSBK round.
Apparently their was some ridiculous talk was that Hopkins had actually quit his BSB ride even before turning one serious wheel in the championship that starts at the end of April, in favour of being Bautista’s temporary replacement in MotoGP.
Obviously team manager Jack Valentine denied the whole thing, and let’s face it who would be dumb enough to give up a full season of racing in British Superbikes for just one or two replacement rides?Back to Rizla Suzuki and MotoGP, Bautista will be present at the Jerez round as a spectator and is already on his feet and taking his first steps is targeting the Estoril GP as his return date after breaking his femur in Qatar.
Hopkins is in pre-season testing with his Samsung Crescent Racing team had this to say about the upcoming return to MotoGP:“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.
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! 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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