Surgery for Hopkins after test

From motogp.com

Kawasaki concluded its testing activity for the 2008 season last Friday with the last of three days of action in Australia, with rider John Hopkins heading almost immediately to the operating theatre after an uncomfortable week of riding.

The Anglo-American had experienced difficulties with chafing between the metal plate in his leg – inserted after a nasty crash in Assen earlier this year - and tendons in the limb, and had found the heavy workload aggravating the discomfort. Nonetheless, after adapting his riding style Hopkins managed to do some extended runs for Bridgestone at Phillip Island, with 50 laps to his name on the final day.

"Today was more positive for me. The injuries weren't such a big problem, although I had to adapt because I still can't put any pressure on the left footpeg," explained the 25-year-old, whose fastest time on Friday was a 1:32.1 lap.

"We found a pretty good set-up on the bike and my lap times were pretty consistent over the long runs we did for Bridgestone, and it's this consistency that's important to our development programme right now.

"Now I'm off straight back to America, where I'll have surgery on Wednesday to remove all the metal from my various injuries. As well as taking the plates out of my left foot and ankle, Doctor Ting will also remove the plate that I've had in my left hand for the past three years. I'll be about two kilograms lighter!"

New teammate Marco Melandri recorded a quickest lap of 1:31.8 over the course of the three days, while test rider Olivier Jacque escaped uninjured from a big crash late on Friday.