American John Hopkins on MotoGP pole

[RichK]

Likely to rain tomorrow, so these positions may stand:

Friday Qualifying:
1. John Hopkins, USA (Suzuki), 1'47.230
2. Valentino Rossi, ITA (Yamaha), 1'47.275
3. Makoto Tamada, JPN (Honda), 1'47.650
4. Max Biaggi, ITA (Honda), 1'47.814
5. Loris Capirossi ITA (Ducati), 1'47.886
6. Kenny Roberts USA, (Suzuki), 1'47.929
7. Alex Barros, BRA (Honda), 1'47.963
8. Nicky Hayden USA (Honda), 1'48. 071
9. Troy Bayliss, USA (Ducati), 1'48.174
10. Sete Gibernau, SPA (Honda), 1'48.195
11. Colin Edwards, USA (Honda), 1'48.221
12. Marco Melandri ITA (Yamaha), 1'48.425
13. Carlos Checa, SPA (Yamaha), 1'48.658
14. Neil Hodgson, GBR (Ducati), 1'48.728
15. Norick Abe, JPN (Yamaha), 1'48.731

[Wally]

Good to see all those Yanks in the top ten.......although Bayliss is no Yank.

Still have the Doctor to deal with on Sunday. :D

[chop456]

Wow. Motorcycle racer and still finds time to run a university.

Impressive.

[lone_groover]

Oh dear.....

[oddlycalm]

Oh dear..... Well, that's one way of putting it... :D

The Suzukis show speed at times in qualifying, but during the race the have gone backwards quickly. I'm not up to speed sufficiently on current hardware to know why. Considering the riders, I doubt it's them.

Good to see NH mended and back in the saddle.

oc

[Clown]

Suzuki? WTF?

[The Doctor]

Suzuki? WTF?

Not that surprising. KR Jr. has put it on the front row a couple times. Been on provisonal pole at least once, too.

[Clown]

For me its a shock because I actually haven't watched a MotoGP race this year*
Last I looked they where almost in Kawasaki territory....

* I love Vale - but he always wins, so whats the point

[Clown]

For me its a shock because I actually haven't watched a MotoGP race this year
Last I looked they were almost in Kawasaki territory....And just to make me look stupid(er), Vale doesn't win, and a Kawasaki ends up on the podium :gomer:

[The Doctor]

And for Hopkins' and Suzuki's efforts, John gets two broken ribs and a big **** on his butt, his teammate Kenny Roberts Jr. gets a dislocated elbow and severe road rash on his righ side after his arm got caught in Biaggi's rear wheel in the first turn melee. Both may be out for Qatar.

Sad that they were taken out and injured. Bridgestone dominates, two spots on the podium (winner Tamada and Shinya Nakano on the Suzuki in third). Suzukis on Bridgestone. Tough day. Could have been great for Suzuki.