MotoGP: Suzuki's new form woke up John Hopkins

In this Grand Prix of Qatar as eventful on the track as in the wings once he arrived, he was a builder who attracted all the praise. It's Suzuki. The official Álex Rins fought for the podium until the last lap. Although the Spaniard had to settle for fourth place, he impressed, as did newcomer and teammate Joan Mir, eighth on his premier class debut. A return to the forefront which woke up John Hopkins.

Andrea Dovizioso, winner of the race on Ducati, as Cal Crutchlow LCR-Honda rider, third in the standings, were surprised by Suzuki's progress. “ His speed in the curves is phenomenal ”, judged Crutchlow. Valentino Rossi declared: “ Suzuki is the manufacturer that has made the most progress ».

John Hopkins, who worked for Suzuki in MotoGP for a long time, observes this development with enthusiasm. “ After this first race, there are certainly a lot of things to say, but the one I remember first is Suzuki's performance ", said the American in an interview with MotoGP.com".

« It was a great start for both drivers. Rins equaled the best result achieved by a Suzuki in Qatar, with fourth place. I finished fourth in 2007, also on Suzuki “, he recalls. " Of course, part of me is thinking, “no, don’t steal that record,” but, seriously, seeing their progression from season to season is a great thing. ».

« I've always been a big Suzuki supporter and spent my best years in MotoGP with them, so it's even nicer to see how well they're doing », Continues Hopkins. In 2019, Suzuki is in its fifth season since its return to the premier category.

Hopkins comments: " they have a really competitive package. Unfortunately, they have a top speed handicap, like me at the time. They have to compensate for this in the corners and on the brakes, but there will be tracks this year they can be very competitive and fight for the victory in my opinion ».

Kidneys he himself had complained of lacking top speed. In a straight line, he was easy prey for opponents. For the upcoming Argentine Grand Prix, the former MotoGP rider has another candidate on the list of possible winners, namely Crutchlow. " He had a heroic race after such a serious injury. Getting on the podium in these circumstances is an extraordinary achievement ».

Crutchlow won on the Termas de Rio Hondo track a year ago. “ It's a track he likes and he's confident, but you'll have to watch him not only in Argentina but also for the rest of the season ". He ends on motorsport total : " it is impossible to predict a winner or a podium. I think we will have one of the best MotoGP seasons ever and everyone is incredibly competitive. Four different manufacturers in Qatar in the top 5. And it was the closest top 15 in history ».