Post by BADGER on Jul 11, 2007 17:26:22 GMT
Following the news that John Hopkins has signed for Kawasaki, Suzuki has assured him that the Anglo-American will continue to receive full support until the end of 2007.
After making his MotoGP debut with Red Bull Yamaha in 2002, Hopkins switched to Suzuki the following season and - despite several difficult years on the initially uncompetitive GSV-R - has remained with the factory ever since.
The Anglo-American was rewarded for his loyalty with a steadily improving machine, culminating in a debut pole position last season and a debut podium earlier this year. Nevertheless, that hasn't been enough to keep the highly-rated 24-year-old at Paul Denning's team - Hopkins' decision to join Kawasaki, a team eager to sign a top name for 2008, being made with half of the 18 rounds still to go.
"Suzuki is making no comment on the situation, other than John will continue to get full support both on and off the track as he is still a Suzuki rider," a Suzuki spokesman said, when asked about the consequences of Hopper's departure.
The spokesman admitted that the team's intention had been to keep both Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen for next season - and that Suzuki is still in talks with the young Australian, who took his first win earlier this year in the rain at Le Mans.
"Suzuki's first aim was to keep both riders and we are still in negotiation with Chris," said the spokesman. "As soon as there is any news on whether Chris is staying and who the replacement for John is, we will make an announcement."
Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi are thought to be in contention to replace Hopkins at Suzuki - Ducati star Capirossi having also been heavily linked to Kawasaki.
Could Toseland replace Hopkins?
John Hopkins' decision to leave Suzuki for Kawasaki next season opens an unexpected door for World Superbike championship leader James Toseland.
Former world champion Toseland, while eager to test himself in MotoGP, has made clear he will only make the move if he has the competitive machinery needed for a fighting chance of success.
That generally means a factory ride but, as reported in Crash.net's British GP blog, Toseland's manager, Roger Burnett, had feared that the ten 2008 factory MotoGP seats were already out of the Englishman's reach.
"We know that Valentino Rossi will stay with Yamaha and Casey Stoner with Ducati," Burnett had said. "Honda will surely retain Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden, Rizla Suzuki are likely to keep John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen, and Kawasaki have said they only want experienced MotoGP hands to further development of the ZX-RR."
As of late June, when Burnett was speaking, that only left the second factory Yamaha seat - which now looks all but certain to go to Jorge Lorenzo - and the second factory Ducati ride - tipped to either be kept by Loris Capirossi or go to fellow Italian Marco Melandri.
"One of the things that wakes me up at night is that James has said he wants to keep enjoying his racing and he wants to be in with a chance of winning," Burnett admitted.
However, Hopper's Kawasaki move means that Toseland's factory MotoGP options have dramatically improved - Suzuki team manager Paul Denning has already successfully brought one former WSBK star into MotoGP, in the form of Vermeulen, who took Suzuki's first grand prix win since 2001 earlier this season.
After making his MotoGP debut with Red Bull Yamaha in 2002, Hopkins switched to Suzuki the following season and - despite several difficult years on the initially uncompetitive GSV-R - has remained with the factory ever since.
The Anglo-American was rewarded for his loyalty with a steadily improving machine, culminating in a debut pole position last season and a debut podium earlier this year. Nevertheless, that hasn't been enough to keep the highly-rated 24-year-old at Paul Denning's team - Hopkins' decision to join Kawasaki, a team eager to sign a top name for 2008, being made with half of the 18 rounds still to go.
"Suzuki is making no comment on the situation, other than John will continue to get full support both on and off the track as he is still a Suzuki rider," a Suzuki spokesman said, when asked about the consequences of Hopper's departure.
The spokesman admitted that the team's intention had been to keep both Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen for next season - and that Suzuki is still in talks with the young Australian, who took his first win earlier this year in the rain at Le Mans.
"Suzuki's first aim was to keep both riders and we are still in negotiation with Chris," said the spokesman. "As soon as there is any news on whether Chris is staying and who the replacement for John is, we will make an announcement."
Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi are thought to be in contention to replace Hopkins at Suzuki - Ducati star Capirossi having also been heavily linked to Kawasaki.
Could Toseland replace Hopkins?
John Hopkins' decision to leave Suzuki for Kawasaki next season opens an unexpected door for World Superbike championship leader James Toseland.
Former world champion Toseland, while eager to test himself in MotoGP, has made clear he will only make the move if he has the competitive machinery needed for a fighting chance of success.
That generally means a factory ride but, as reported in Crash.net's British GP blog, Toseland's manager, Roger Burnett, had feared that the ten 2008 factory MotoGP seats were already out of the Englishman's reach.
"We know that Valentino Rossi will stay with Yamaha and Casey Stoner with Ducati," Burnett had said. "Honda will surely retain Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden, Rizla Suzuki are likely to keep John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen, and Kawasaki have said they only want experienced MotoGP hands to further development of the ZX-RR."
As of late June, when Burnett was speaking, that only left the second factory Yamaha seat - which now looks all but certain to go to Jorge Lorenzo - and the second factory Ducati ride - tipped to either be kept by Loris Capirossi or go to fellow Italian Marco Melandri.
"One of the things that wakes me up at night is that James has said he wants to keep enjoying his racing and he wants to be in with a chance of winning," Burnett admitted.
However, Hopper's Kawasaki move means that Toseland's factory MotoGP options have dramatically improved - Suzuki team manager Paul Denning has already successfully brought one former WSBK star into MotoGP, in the form of Vermeulen, who took Suzuki's first grand prix win since 2001 earlier this season.