Hopkins Back in MotoGP

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
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Hopkins No. 121 up to his usual hijinx at Valencia.
Hopkins, seen here this year in World Superbike, will be back in MotoGP for 2010 aboard the new FB Corse team.
American John Hopkins is set to be back in MotoGP for 2010. Announced by the newly-formed FB Corse team, the Ramona, California native will make his return to the premiere series after a year hiatus. The team reported the signing in a release today.

While details are few and far between, Hopper will be riding a motorcycle that is essentially the triple-cylinder prototype originally developed for BMW’s short-lived attempt to gain access into the Grand Prix world. Hopkins is set to be in Milan, Italy on January 21st for the team’s official announcement.

Hopper, who endured an injury-ridden 2009 season in World Superbike aboard the now defunct Stiggy Motorsport Honda team, recently overcame a massive concussion and several broken body parts. The American sensation originally burst onto the GP scene straight from winning AMA races at a young age. Hopkins always showed signs of raw talent and eventually found himself on the podium aboard the factory Suzuki a couple years back. But a downsizing team, loads of injuries and off-track drama saw him exit the GP pits at the end of the 2008 season, in which he rode for Kawasaki.

Hopper will now ride for the Italian FB Corse team on a brand new and unproven machine; his work will be cut out for him no question. He will also be joined on the team by Simone Gorztkyj, who will ride in the Moto2 class. The team is reportedly set to test both the MotoGP and Moto2 machines for the first time in January. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available...

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Comments
suherly -motor bikers  June 10, 2010 08:29 PM
I dont liked hopkins back to motogp, because not power in the race season, I will like robert junior is good for race.
al hepburn -pureguava  April 20, 2010 11:12 PM
quote: "This guy has got to have an amazing agent! How he is still riding GP's after all these years I'll never know. For god's sake James Toseland is a better rider and lost his ride in one year" what are you on about - didn't hopkins come 4th in 2007?
Big Al -Hopper@ Accurate  December 29, 2009 07:34 PM
Obviously not......
AMAFAN -Accurate  December 29, 2009 04:09 PM
It would seem that Hopkins' manager disagrees with your story, Steve. You did try to call him, right?
Big Al -Hopper  December 28, 2009 08:33 PM
Hopkins Not Back In Motogp apparently......Yet. See todays post on Roadracingworld.com.

@Raymond 17 totally agree with you about Hopper, I saw him at Indy in the pissing rain signing and also at Laguna well into the night.....Top stuff!
Raymond17 -Gimmeabreak  December 28, 2009 08:05 PM
Like I said Pat.....armchair racers.
By Vermuelen doing nought(forgive my English Accent) I meant his results for the past 2 years. I know how long he rode for Suzuki.
As for Hopper being deserving. Were you ever at a motogp race or WSB race he was in? The guy is out signing and greeting fans long after the others have gone home.......Also the guy gives 100% all the time even though he knows he's riding a piece of crap and even after lots of other so called deserving riders have refused to ride due to injury!!!!
Pat3GH -gimmeabreak  December 26, 2009 05:23 PM
“Kawasaki stopped developing new parts for the motorbike in March 2009, meaning Kawasaki's involvement will be limited to servicing and maintaining the motorcycle for the rest of the 2009 season.[1] Despite this, Marco achieved a remarkable result in coming second at the French MotoGP at Le Mans on 17 May 2009.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayate_Racing_Team
The bike Melandri rode for 2009 was a warmed over 2008 bike anyone and everyone who followes Moto GP knows this. Melandri is a better rider than Hopkins regardless. Give me one good reason for why Hopkins deserves all the hype that does or did surround him.

Pat3GH -Raymond17  December 26, 2009 05:02 PM
I think it is obvious Raymond17 you are not a fan of Moto GP because Chris Vermeulen rode for Suzuki’s factory Moto GP team for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 that’s FOUR years NOT two years. Maybe you did not know this because you have only been watching Moto GP for two years.
gimmeabreak -@Pat3GH  December 25, 2009 08:50 PM
The bike Melandri rode this past season was completely new. It had nothing, save the electronics package, in common with the nightmare Hopper rode in 08. That said, I don't have high hopes for him for riding an unproven machine. I do think he is a very talented rider, but he doesn't have the technical know-how to develop a brand new bike.
Raymond17 -Hopkins  December 24, 2009 05:11 PM
Vermuelen did nought last 2 years at Suzuki and obviously that's why he's not there now. You can't compare Hopper against Him as Hopper scored more points each season they raced together regardless of wins podiums etc.
Pat3GH -Hopper  December 24, 2009 02:55 PM
Hopper is a cool guy and I used to be a big fan but he is not running for class president. Results matter in racing. My comments about Hopper and his career are factual. Although I don’t personally race in Moto GP that doesn’t mean I can’t make a fair and honest observation of Hopkins. Maybe he hasn’t been given a top notch ride because the people who decide who get these rides think he is not worthy of a top notch ride. After his results in the past few years I would have to agree. Vermeulen did more with the Suzuki than Hopkins did and if it was because of Hopkins development then why didn’t Hopkins make use of his own development like Vermeulen did when he (Hopkins) was riding side by side with him (Vermeulen) while on the same team and bike? Believe me, if Hopkins had or has what a professional Moto Gp scout is looking for they would have nabbed him and put him on a top notch bike; it’s not like they draw straws to see who gets the best rides. This may be the reason Suzuki passed on Spies in regards to Moto Gp. Suzuki may have thought Spies might be another Hopkins, lots of talent, ambition, and youth but can’t cut it in Moto GP like he can in AMA. The way things are now with DMG, an American racers only hope is to go into WSS/WSBK or Moto 2 after gaining some “amateur” experience in the Amateur Motorcycle Alliance (AMA).
R34 -Hopper  December 24, 2009 12:25 PM
All negativity aside, no matter his results and injuries...he has been the Valentino Rossi for bike development to all crap teams in the premier class. I think he would of gotten his results had he stayed with suzuki one more year before switching to Team Green. Suzuki has improved a lot, and Capirossi has shown this coming in on what John has developed. Why he switched, I have no idea. Believe he would have been more competitive the year he switched. Maybe he wants to be a career development rider to bring all machines up to par..."Johnny boy, I'm here for you, but damn...try to get on better machinery before you kill yourself out there!" I am glad he is back though...MotoGP is his deal, not WSB, and NOT AMA...talk about adding insult to injury. Stay away from NASCAR Hopper
x2468 -meh....  December 24, 2009 10:47 AM
Id much rather see him riding for a good WSBK team.... why in the hell would he want to work for some unknown team running defunct, unfinished bmw prototypes???????????????????????
MOTOGREG -Hopper  December 24, 2009 09:33 AM
GO HOPPER!!! I'm excited to see him in GP once more!!! Enough of the hate... he’s a cool guy with great attitude. He’s never been on a competitive machine but puts it on the line every weekend. Can you knock him for that?
Mark -Hopper  December 24, 2009 04:30 AM
Hopper has never had a top tier GP ride. He should have stayed in WSB.

FYI: Hopper's X GF from the "Faster" movie, Desiree Crossman? Wow.
Raymond17 -Hopper  December 23, 2009 08:44 PM
So......all the armchair racers have spoken eh?????
Pat3GH -Hopper's return  December 23, 2009 07:13 PM
Hopkins had a decent ride in WSBK and he messed that up too. His team mate Vermeulen got a pole position, podium finish and a race win shortly after joining the team and before Hopkins did and Hopper was on the team for 5 yrs 0 wins. Marco Melandri did a great job on the Kawasaki after Hopkins and it was only a satellite team that Kawasaki basically abandoned. Hopkins never ran with the big boys in AMA 600SS or AMA SBK he won the 750cc superstock title and the formula extreme title at a time when almost anything goes displacement wise and there were no factory teams just other amateurs like himself. Hopkins has some talent but not world beating talent. Hopkins only has this ride because no other rider would take it. But he is a sensation
Peter -3 Races - Tops  December 23, 2009 06:10 PM
I have nothing against John, but he just can't hack it. I give him 3 races, tops, before it's another crash and burn.
Steve -3 cylinder MotoGP bike??  December 23, 2009 05:52 PM
This bike wouldn't happen to be the Ilmor X3 MotoGP bike would it?
r1champ -hopper's return  December 23, 2009 11:27 AM
I think hopper has a lot of talent. do i think he compares to Spies, edwards or hayden??? that still has yet to be determined...why?? because they guy has been on every crap bike moto gp has to offer. he's starts out on redbull yamaha on a 500cc while just about everyone has upgraded to 990cc 4 strokes. then he moves to suzuki which at the time was the worst bike to ride and severely under powered. then he moves to kawasaki which has shown poor results in moto gp since...forever! he cant seem to land himself on a decent team or bike for that matter. its like he purposely signs with the worst team for the year. once they begin to improve he has to move to the next crap team.
Night Cop -He's Lousy!!!!!  December 23, 2009 10:44 AM
This guy has got to have an amazing agent! How he is still riding GP's after all these years I'll never know. For god's sake James Toseland is a better rider and lost his ride in one year.
Ghost Rider -Hopper-Back in MotoGP  December 23, 2009 10:17 AM
When has this guy ever lived up to the hype that surrounds him??? I am still waiting to see the results, aren't you!? For many years people have invested a lot in his supposed talent but all he do is hurt himself. I guess trying to be the rider that everybody wants him to be has its price! After he fails with BMW... where to next??? the scrap-yard or what! Hopper is no Spies, no Edwards, and not even Nicky Hayden!!! John needs to start over with a great crew-chief and go back to the basics! His half american side is letting down the US in international motorcycle racing!
W1LLPOW3R -hopkins..  December 23, 2009 09:48 AM
This guys a rolling disaster, hope he doesn't crash and get hurt some more..

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