Kawasaki mark Hopkins´ 100th race appearance

Sunday´s MotoGP contest at the Shanghai International circuit will see John Hopkins notch up a century of premier class Grand Prix appearances and the landmark was acknowledged by his new team Kawasaki, after the morning warm-up at the Pramac Grand Prix of China.

As the youngest ever rider to reach the milestone in the MotoGP category Hopkins has spent the vast majority of his GP career to date on Suzuki machinery, with whom he rode from 2003-2007, though he completed his debut season in 2002 with Yamaha.

Having made the switch to Kawasaki at the end of last year Hopkins rides his fourth race with the team today, following a brief celebration in the `Team Green´ pit-box this morning, where the 24 year-old was presented with a cake to mark the occasion.

On his World Championship adventure to date, Hopkins said, `Last year was my breakthrough year in MotoGP and I started to run up at the front. This year with Kawasaki we are starting to make headway and it´s good.´

`Everyone is working hard, the engineers, the team is working hard and I´m busting my butt trying to get this thing up to the top! That´s the ultimate goal and there would be nothing better than to put it up on the podium here in Shanghai.´

`On his prospects for a wet race in the Far East the Anglo-American commented, `I would rather have a dry race but we are ready for whatever weather. Anthony (West) has shown in the past that the Kawasaki can run well in the wet, so we are ready, bring it on!´