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Silver Bullet is one of only a few Websites worldwide that receive Desiree Crossman`s newsy, behind the MotoGP scene column (not always PC) reporting on John (Hopper) Hopkin`s MotoGP exploits and her own as they travel the globe.
Check out - HOPPER`S WEBSITE:
You can send your support to John - HERE:
Hello from me!
Today was another hot one, nice and sunny. Alot more people here too. Last night was so loud, however I don\'t think it\'s as loud as it was last year. We still have tonight though. War zone, sounds like bombs are going off and you can here engines reving all night. Got to sleep with ear plugs!
It was an ok day for John. They had alot of problems with the bike and it was a tough first session for him. In the second session, not everyone improved their time from yesterday. Luckily John and the team made some adjustments and it helped abit. It\'s a tough situation, but they are working away and John\'s keeping his head down, riding over it at times. From 19th, he jumped to 13th but was knocked down to 14th right after.
Olivier had some fire under his ass cause\' he was going really well today. So was Shinya, he got 3rd? Good for him. And Valentino ran off the track, but of course he manages to be back on top again, he got pole. The people were going crazy!!! We know who\'s the star around here, and everywhere. But here for sure. Good for him! And he has another bloody helmet! I don\'t know, I kinda like it. It has a very plain design but it\'s very unique, simple. So Vale, if you\'re reading this, cool helmet! :)
Only one crash today and that was Marco. No injury though, I believe he got 11th. He\'s doing pretty good for a come back after a narly crash in Suzuka. Carlos was doing quite well here. John says he reckons the Yamahas goes good here. He said when he got behind Carlos, it looked he was just cruising. Loris got 2nd, putting the Ducati up there. He\'s so small but can ride the life out of a bike. Cool guy too, and Ingrid-his wife.
So anyway, it was another session but nothing exciting. Some boys improved, some didn\'t. It was hot, alot of people walking around and like usual I was running around trying to take chick pics. I wore a great shirt today, and got alot of attention. I don\'t know why - I couldn\'t figure it out. Maybe it was my chest, I don\'t know you decide. I wanted to make a small statement. I may not be the most stunning person, but it helps to wear clothes that turn heads. hahahaha:)
Well speak tommorrow, from beautiful Mugello circuit.
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And a Suzuki Press Release.
Hopkins finds improvement in final qualifying for Italian Grand Prix:
MUGELLO, Italy (June 7, 2003) - John Hopkins, coming back from a shoulder injury suffered two weeks ago in the French Grand Prix, made major improvements throughout Saturday to qualify 14th for Sunday\'s Italian Grand Prix in Mugello with a time of 1:52.969. Pole setter Valentino Rossi\'s qualifying time was 1:51.927. Hopkins will start from the fourth row.
The weekend was one of continued testing for the Suzuki squad, the team trying to find additional speed and handling out of the GSV-R Grand Prix machine.
\"It\'s been another weekend of testing new parts,\" Hopkins said. \"It\'s tough when you\'re testing so many different things to know for sure what\'s working and what\'s not. We\'ve gone back and forth on the settings for everything from suspension, to engine mapping, you name it and we\'ve tried it.\"
Hopkins was happy with the improvements made during Saturday\'s practice and qualifying, but is still hoping for more from the bike come Sunday.
\"This track as a lot of sweeping corners and we\'ve been struggling to find a decent set-up,\" Hopkins explained. \"Stuart (Shenton) found some things in the data Friday night that helped us improve today. We\'re chipping away at it, but we\'ve still got some way to go. Hopefully we\'ll find a little more on Sunday.
\"They\'re forecasting rain here for race day. I\'ve tested here in the rain and it\'s not nearly as bad as Le Mans in the wet, but there are still some slick spots. If we struggle in the dry we\'ll probably struggle on a wet surface as well to be honest.\"
Hopkins said his right shoulder is improving, but still giving him problems in certain sections of the 5.2-kilometer Mugello circuit.
\"In the chicanes where I have to flick the bike, it bothers the shoulder a bit. The bike feels heavy to me, but I\'m ready to race and am going to give it 100 percent.\"
Last year at Mugello Hopkins qualified 13th and finished 11th in the race.
MotoGP Qualifying:
1. Valentino Rossi (1:51.927)
2. Loris Capirossi (1:51.954)
3. Shinya Nakano (1:51.986)
4. Max Biaggi (1:52.021)
5. Tohru Ukawa (1:52.027)
6. Sete Gibernau (1:52.153)
7. Carlos Checa (1:52.290)
8. Olivier Jacque (1:52.333)
9. Alex Barros (1:52.439)
10. Makoto Tamada (1:52.513)
11 Bayliss 1m52.6
12 Melandri 1m52.6
13 Edwards 1m52.7
14 Hopkins 1m
15 Hofmann 1m53.1
16 Haga 1m53.1
17 Hayden 1m53.1
17 Roberts 1m53.3
19 McWilliams 1m53.8
20 McCoy 1m54.0
21 Pitt 1m54.3
22 Kiyonari 1m55.3
23 Aoki 1m56.3
NB: Casey Stoner is on pole for the 125 race.
