American John Hopkins held a position in the top five at the final official test at Snetterton, but the Tyco Suzuki rider says there is more to come as the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship gets underway at Brands Hatch this Easter (18-21 April).

Hopkins has been a podium finisher at the Kent circuit on the Grand Prix layout in his 2011 debut season and after making his return to racing after a year out in 2013, the former MotoGP podium finisher arrives at Brands Hatch for his much-anticipated return with high expectations from his legion of fans. The team worked hard at the final pre-season test and Hopkins admits he feels positive that they had made a step forward ahead of the opening round.


Hopkins said:

"I actually feel really good about Brands Hatch. We have had some successful tests and we have chipped away and we have been improving the setting. My crew chief is really good and every change we made at Snetterton was an improvement and we really made a huge step forward in the very last session. It was a bit of a shame as I wish we could have had that improvement and then worked with it and gone out again, but I am glad we were able to do it before Brands Hatch.

"I feel really good on the Suzuki; I have had to change my riding style as the lack of electronics now means I have gone back to using the clutch and a lot of other little things here and there, so that's the biggest thing - going back to basics. As far as the setting is concerned it is very similar to what I rode in 2011 and there of course have been performance changes in the chassis and engine, but I am feeling really comfortable.

"I feel pretty much right on target and right where we wanted to be before the first round. I knew going into it (testing) I wasn't going to be P1 every session - that's something that is to come, but at the moment we are towards the sharp end and there is still more within myself and there is a lot more time to come. I am really looking forward to getting back into a race simulation and getting that adrenaline pumping again. I still feel that I have a point to prove in BSB!"


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