MotoGP Jerez test: John Hopkins will brave the pain

John Hopkins has confirmed he will ride during this weekend’s IRTA test session at the Jerez circuit in Spain.

Factory team boss Michael Bartholemy said the American will be able to take some part in the three-day test, though he confirmed that the former Suzuki rider is still well short of 100 per cent fitness.

Hopkins has been recuperating in America after he suffered a torn abductor muscle connecting his left hip and groin in a spectacular 100mph high-side crash on the second day of testing in Phillip Island, Australia.

“I am sure he will ride, but it might be just for one day, or three half-days. We need to see what is best for him.

“We told him if he didn’t feel ready then he could not come to continue his recovery at home, but he wanted to come,” said Bartholemy.

John Hopkins had made considerable progress since his crash last month in the rain in Australia, but the team doubt whether he will even be fully recovered in time for the season’s first race in Qatar on March 9, 2008.

“John has made a lot of progress and last weekend but I doubt he will be fully recovered in time for the first race,” added Bartholemy.

Hopkins has just arrived in the Jerez paddock this afternoon (Friday), in time for the team’s official 2008 launch tonight.

He endured a nightmare journey to Spain though after new wife Ashleigh was struck down with food poisoning on a flight between Los Angeles and New York, before the couple were due to fly onto Madrid.

Hopkins told MCN: “I’m going to definitely give it a go. I won’t be doing 300 laps but I need to be out there because we’ve got things to test before the first race.”

Kawasaki has another new clutch to test this weekend, while test and development rider Olivier Jacque should make his second appearance on board the new ‘Screamer’ ZX-RR.

Since the French rider made his debut on the revised firing order motor in Sepang last month, engineers have been working flat-out on Kawasaki’s development facility in Padova to improve the power delivery.