Hopkins seeking Suzuki power

American John Hopkins is a hoping a new Suzuki 800 engine spec will dramatically enhance his chances of claiming an elusive MotoGP world championship podium.

Hopkins and Rizla Suzuki team-mate, Chris Vermeulen, were forced to abandon plans to test the new spec V4 motor when rain hit Monday’s Jerez test session after the Spanish GP.

The performance of Casey Stoner’s factory Ducati in the season’s opening race in Qatar prompted all the Japanese factories to accelerate engine development to close the horsepower gap on the GP7.

Hopkins though isn’t seeking top speed improvements on his factory GSV-R, instead targeting more mid-range having spent the first two races of the season getting a close-up look of Honda’s new RC212V.

Hopkins needed 13 laps to overhaul reigning world champion Nicky Hayden’s Honda in last weekend’s Spanish GP, though he crashed out of fourth shortly after overtaking his compatriot.

Hopkins blamed a lack of mid-range performance for taking so long to pass Hayden, and it was the same experience he encountered in a long pursuit of Hayden’s Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa in the season’s opening race in Qatar.

The Rizla Suzuki man spent 16 laps glued to Pedrosa’s back wheel in Doha but couldn’t pass the Spaniard, with the Honda superior on corner exit acceleration.

Hopkins said: “What happened with Nicky in Jerez was a similar sort of thing that was going on in Qatar getting out of the corners when I was behind Dani. I just need a little bit more horsepower in the mid-range getting out of the corners.

“Once we get out of the corners I’m able to make up a bit of time towards the end of the straight and heading into the corners on braking. But that initial jump out of the corners Nicky had just made it impossible to pass him.

“I would say it’s anywhere from 10 to 14,000rpm. It’s not the initial punch out of the corner, but when you get into those revs and the motor is really starting too hit on wide open throttle I’m still losing ground.”

Hopkins said he was impressed by Suzuki’s reaction time to his request for more mid-range performance, with the Japanese factory bringing the upgraded engine to Jerez.

The first test had initially been pencilled in after next month’s Turkish GP in Istanbul.

One of Hopkins’ bikes was built by his mechanics on Sunday night with the new engine in it, but the rain kept Hopkins in the pits.

“I’m really happy that Suzuki reacted so fast to what I’ve been asking for. What we wanted is what we got so I look forward to trying it. I think every manufacturer and every rider is asking for a little bit more speed after seeing the Ducati in Qatar,” said the 23-year-old.