Suzuki: John Hopkins not considered for Estoril

John Hopkins was never considered as possible injury cover for Alvaro Bautista at this weekend’s Portuguese MotoGP race in Estoril.

Bautista plans to race his factory Suzuki GSV-R machine in Estoril this weekend just six weeks after he suffered a broken left femur during practice for the season’s opening round in Qatar in March.

But if he is unable to ride at a competitive pace and is in too much discomfort with the injury, Suzuki has test and development rider Nobuatsu Aoki on standby to take his place should the Spaniard be forced to withdraw.

Hopkins is Suzuki’s contracted replacement rider and he stood in for Bautista in Jerez earlier this month. The American finished in a respectable 10th position in his first MotoGP ride since the end of 2008.

But Hopkins, who scored a best result of fifth place in his British Superbike debut at Brands Hatch yesterday, is unable to act as cover for Bautista this weekend because of his BSB commitments with the Samsung Suzuki squad at Oulton Park.

And factory Suzuki MotoGP boss Paul Denning told MCN that it was not even considered to have Hopkins in Estoril this weekend in case Bautista is unable to ride.

Denning said: “We are just not in the business of letting a lot of people down and a large number of people have come on board as part of the Crescent BSB team based on John’s involvement.”

“John did a brilliant job in Jerez to prove his own ability, but to be in a championship over the course of a year to show his strength and consistency and to compete in a fist fight that BSB is, that is just as important for his future career.”

“We’re just not willing to break agreements basically. To pull John out of a BSB round to be at Estoril when he might not even ride the bike just doesn’t make any sense. Nobuatsu will be in Estoril for the whole weekend because he is testing on Monday, so if we need him he will be there.”