Catalunyan MotoGP: Last eight laps Key for Hopkins

Factory Suzuki rider John Hopkins believes tyre management will be even more critical than normal in Sunday’s Catalunya GP.

The American finished this afternoon’s second free practice session with the second best time in baking hot conditions in Barcelona and his 1.43.389 was good enough to secure the third best time over today’s two sessions.

Track temperatures soared to 43 degrees while air temperature peaked at 33 degrees.

With searing temperatures predicted for the remainder of the weekend, Hopkins believes his hopes of seriously challenging for a second career premier class podium will come in the last eight of Sunday’s 25-lap race.

Hopkins said: “Everything is good and sweet and tyres seem to be working really good. “It’s all about concentrating the set-up towards the last eight laps of the race. That’s there will be an opportunity for people to get away when the tyres start moving around a lot. I got to be able to keep right there and be able to go with whoever wants to go in those last eight laps.”