KAWASAKI BACK ON TRACK AT BRNO
After almost seven weeks away from the racetrack, John Hopkins
will make his racing return aboard Kawasaki's Ninja ZX-RR
at this weekend's Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno.
The 25-year-old Anglo-American was forced to sit out the
last three races, including his home Grand Prix at Laguna
Seca, as a result of fractures to his left leg sustained in
a high-speed qualifying crash ahead of the Dutch TT at Assen
almost seven weeks ago.
Hopkins has been working hard over the past month, embarking
on a punishing rehabilitation and training schedule as soon
as he was able to walk on his injured leg, in order to ensure
he is back to full fitness for his return to racing in the
Czech Republic.
Kawasaki teammate, Anthony West, has also used the three-week
summer break to work on his fitness back home on Australia's
Gold Coast, but he's also used the time away from the pressures
of the racetrack to regroup after a difficult first half of
the season.
The 27-year-old Australian has put the disappointment of
earlier races behind him and he heads back to Europe determined
to kick-start the second half of the season with a strong
performance aboard his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR at Brno.
But while Kawasaki's MotoGP pilots have both enjoyed time
away from the racetrack during the annual summer break, the
same is not true of Kawasaki's race engineers in Japan. Kawasaki's
race department have worked through the break to continue
the development of an evolution version of the Ninja ZX-RR
engine that both Hopkins and West will ride for the first
time at Brno.
John Hopkins
Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #21
"I'm feeling pretty good now, and I'm anxious to get
back on track. I've now got full movement back in the injured
knee and it's been fine during my training regime up to now.
I don't think it's going to cause me any problems on the bike,
but it's been almost seven weeks since I've thrown a leg over
the Ninja ZX-RR, so I won't know for sure until we start free
practice on Friday. Brno is a track I like a lot, and I believe
it's the MotoGP track I've ridden most frequently in my career,
which means I know the place like the back of my hand. Also,
our Bridgestone tyres work well at this track, and this combined
with the new parts that Kawasaki are bringing to the Czech
Grand Prix means we've got some positive things to work with.
Even though the rehab at home with family and friends has
been enjoyable, I am really looking forward to seeing the
team, getting back on the bike and finding again the total
mental focus necessary for the best possible result this weekend."
Anthony West
Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #13
"After a difficult first half of the season, it's been
good to have the chance to get home to the family in Australia
and just kick back for a bit. The schedule during the first
half of the year has been hectic and it's been difficult to
step back and assess where we're at with the bike and to look
objectively at some of the problems we've been having. This
time away from the pressures of the racetrack has been pretty
short, but it has allowed me to think things through and the
conclusion is that the results during the first half of the
year are well below what I'm capable of. I know that I can
finish higher up the order on the Ninja ZX-RR, and we've seen
this a couple of times already, but I need to be finishing
in the top ten more consistently during the second half of
the season. The break has been an ideal opportunity to recharge
the batteries, and I'm heading back to Europe determined to
finish the second part of the season with better results,
starting this weekend in Brno."
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