|
|
Kawasaki's Hopkins on the Pace at Assen
26 June 2008
Kawasaki's John Hopkins completed the opening practice day at the Assen circuit in a confident mood, having made further improvements to his Ninja ZX-RR and finishing in eighth place overall. Hopkins was pleased to be challenging for top positions after finding a good machine setting. With only half a second separating second and 12th position on the timesheet, competition is already fierce on the opening day of the Dutch TT. Hopkins is running an upgraded version of Kawasaki's Ninja ZX-RR engine this weekend and this, together with improvements in set-up over the last two races, means that Hopkins is confident of improving further his position ahead of the race.
|
|
|
|
Third Row for Wet Weather West
21 June 2008
Kawasaki's Anthony West will start tomorrow's British Grand Prix from the third row of the grid, after qualifying his Ninja ZX-RR in seventh position during this afternoon's rain soaked timed session at Donington Park. The slippery conditions at the 4.023km track caught out many leading riders during the two, hour-long sessions today, although following the developments made in yesterday's dry practice, West managed to find a good set-up aboard his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR.
|
|
|
|
Further Improvements for Hopkins & West
21 June 2008
Kawasaki’s John Hopkins and Anthony West finished today’s opening practice sessions at Donington Park in a confident mood, after improvements to their machine set-up saw them finish in 11th and 12th positions respectively. Hopkins bravely ended the day’s proceedings just a fraction of a second outside of the top ten, despite suffering from the discomfort of a back injury sustained in practice at Catalunya. The 25-year-old Anglo-American wisely used today’s dry track time to run through various Bridgestone race tyre combinations ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying session, which is predicted to be wet.
|
|
|
|
Tough Day for Hopkins as West Sees Improvements
07 June 2008
The opening day of practice for Sunday's Grand Prix of Catalunya was one of mixed fortunes for the Kawasaki Racing Team, with Anthony West finishing 18th fastest, and John Hopkins setting the 14th fastest time, despite a crash that sidelined him for most of the afternoon practice session. Overnight rain meant that track conditions were far from ideal for the opening practice session this morning, but the situation had improved considerably by the time the MotoGP riders took to the track for their second hour of practice this afternoon.
|
|
|
|
Mixed Weather at Mugello Puts Kawasaki on Top
30 May 2008
Kawasaki's John Hopkins and Anthony West completed the two wet practice sessions at the Mugello circuit at the top of the field today, in first and third positions respectively on combined times. The first hour-long stint began with heavy rainfall around the 5.245km circuit, and both riders battled the elements in search of a comfortable wet setting aboard their Ninja ZX-RR race machines. However, as the session went on a significant dry line was evident out on track, which enabled riders to board their dry-weather prepared bikes.
|
|
|
|
Kawasaki Duo See Improvements at Le Mans
16 May 2008
Kawasaki's John Hopkins and Anthony West finished today's opening practice sessions ahead of Sunday's French Grand Prix in ninth and 16th positions respectively, after focussing on refining machine set-up during the two, one-hour track sessions. Hopkins spent most of the two practice sessions perfecting the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR to suit the stop-start, hard braking nature of the 4.18km Bugatti circuit. The Anglo-American ran through different tyre options with Bridgestone, lapping quickly and consistently, despite some difficulties with feeling in the front end of his machine.
|
|
|
|
Surprises in Store at Shanghai?
03 May 2008
Tomorrow's Grand Prix of China will see Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR riders, John Hopkins and Anthony West, starting from 14th and 18th positions, respectively, after a tough qualifying session this afternoon. For Hopkins, the day proved especially frustrating as his times were putting him at the front of the field but then he suffered a lowside, at the almost 360° turn one, and his chances of recovering a better starting position for his 100th MotoGP race were gone.
|
|
|
|
Promising Start for Kawasaki in China
02 May 2008
The Grand Prix of China began today with the first two practice sessions of the weekend. In perfect warm, dry conditions, the premier class field headed out onto the 5.281km circuit at Shanghai with Kawasaki riders, John Hopkins and Anthony West, aboard their Bridgestone-shod Ninja ZX-RRs. The 24-year-old Hopkins who, on starting Sunday's race, will become the youngest ever rider to achieve the landmark of partaking in 100 MotoGP rounds, came fifth fastest in both sessions, improving his times in the afternoon with a best lap of 2'00.591. Just over half a second off the leader, the Anglo-American is looking strong at the track, which boasts a fast, sweeping layout, well suited to the Kawasaki machine.
|
|
|
|
Battling The Elements At Estoril
11 April 2008
Typically unpredictable Atlantic coast weather greeted the protagonists of the MotoGP World Championship today at Estoril. After heavy rain on Thursday night, the 18-strong field headed out for the first practice session of the weekend on a damp track. Kawasaki Racing Team riders, John Hopkins and Anthony West, were on great form during the morning session, both riding with a wet set up. West rode to fourth fastest on the timesheets on the last of his 20 laps, putting in a time of 1'48.873, under a second off leading man, Casey Stoner.
|
|
|
|
The Pace Hots Up In Jerez
29 March 2008
An agreeably warm and sunny Jerez today hosted the qualifying session for the second round of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship and the afternoon kept a significant crowd of race fans, gathered for the event, on the edge of their seats. Kawasaki's John Hopkins managed to take his Ninja ZX-RR to ninth on the grid with a very respectable time of 1'39.439, just over a second off pole man, Jorge Lorenzo's extraordinary record-breaking lap.
|
|
|
|
Slippery Start For Kawasaki In Qatar
08 March 2008
The first weekend of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship kicked off this evening, under lights. The Qatar round is taking place at night and the premier class field took to the track at 19:00 hours and then again at 22:55 hours, local time, for the first two practice sessions.
|
|
|
|
Burning The Midnight Oil In Qatar
29 February 2008
The lights were switched on at 17.45 hours, local time, at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar today as MotoGP's first official night test kicked off, prior to the first round of the 2008 season next week. It all happened in preparation for the race on 9th March, also at the track, which will be the first Grand Prix ever to be run at night. The history-making illuminations, powered by nearly five and a half million watts of electricity and which represent the largest permanent sports lighting system in the world, lit the 5.4km circuit as the premier class riders started the first of two nights of testing.
|
|
|
|
Kawasaki Conclude Weather Affected Jerez Test
18 February 2008
Kawasaki's John Hopkins and Anthony West concluded the three-day IRTA test at a blustery, but dry Jerez circuit today with encouraging results, as both riders continued to improve the set-up of their Ninja ZX-RR machines. West finished the test reasonably satisfied with 12th position, after making significant steps forward with the set-up of his machine. The 26-year-old Australian concentrated on improving the handling and cornering of his bike and he, along with his crew, has found a front-end setting that has given him much more confidence around the technical Jerez circuit.
|
|
|
|
Hopkins Rides Through The Pain Barrier At Jerez
17 February 2008
After a successful team launch yesterday evening, the Kawasaki Racing Team got down to work proper today, during the first of three days of testing at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain. For John Hopkins today marked his first outing on Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-RR since the turn one highside that prematurely ended his pre-season test at Phillip Island less than three weeks ago. The crash left the Anglo-American with a badly torn abductor muscle in his groin, which continued to cause Hopkins discomfort on the bike during today’s test.
|
|
|
|
Hopkins Confident After Second Day At Sepang
23 January 2008
Kawasaki's John Hopkins continued to improve his lap time during the second day of testing at a blisteringly hot Sepang circuit. The Anglo-American was just over half-a-second off the fastest time today, but is confidently predicting that this gap will be much reduced once he gets the chance tomorrow to dial in further the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR. Hopkins's Kawasaki teammate, Anthony West, will be looking for the same level of improvement on the final day of testing, after a successful morning that saw his lap time tumbling with every run aboard the 2008 Ninja ZX-RR.
|
|
|
|
Back to Work for Kawasaki in Sepang
22 January 2008
The Kawasaki Racing Team's John Hopkins and Anthony West finally got their 2008 MotoGP campaign underway today, during the first of three days of testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. After almost seven weeks off the bike, both Hopkins and West used this opening day of testing to get themselves back up to speed aboard their 2008 Ninja ZX-RR machines. Recalibrating the brain to MotoGP speed is always a difficult process, but an inconsistent track surface with varying degrees of grip made the job even more challenging for both riders today.
|
|
|
|
Kawasaki Working To Conquer Valencia
03 November 2007
The Grand Prix of Valencia got off to a testing start today for the Kawasaki Racing Team as the first two of the weekend's practice sessions took place at the technical, 4km Spanish circuit. However, by the end of the afternoon, there were marked improvements in both riders' performances, indicating things will progress nicely in time for Sunday's race. After the fast, fluid circuits of the recent overseas rounds, which saw the 800cc Ninja ZX-RR come into its own, the complex, "stop and go" layout of the Valencia track proved somewhat more difficult to conquer instantaneously. However, Randy de Puniet established himself on track by the end of the second session, taking well over a second off his morning practice best.
|
|
|
|
Kawasaki Return To Malaysia
17 October 2007
Fresh from the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, the Kawasaki Racing Team this week heads to Sepang for the penultimate round of the 2007 MotoGP World Championship. Randy de Puniet enjoyed many a top ten finish at the Sepang International Circuit, near the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, in the years he rode in the 250cc world-level series and is looking forward to the battle this weekend. The 5.55km track will host Sunday's 21-lap race and the Frenchman will be aiming to improve on the 13th place he managed there last year which, considering his recent form, shouldn't be too much trouble.
|
|
|
|
Positive Signs For Kawasaki In Australia
13 October 2007
The second day of the GMC Australian Grand Prix finished with qualifying practice this afternoon, which saw Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet claim a second row start and Anthony West, 10th spot on the grid for tomorrow's race. De Puniet completed 25 laps in qualifying and succeeded in running a staggering 1'30.713 lap on race tyres: bearing in mind Casey Stoner's leading lap, on combined times, of all three earlier practices was 1'31.132, this bodes very well for the 26-year-old Frenchman.
|
|
|
|
Wintry Welcome At Phillip Island
12 October 2007
Dramatically fluctuating weather conditions marked the start of the Australian Grand Prix today as MotoGP returned to Phillip Island for the 16th round of the world championship. The first practice session, held after a prolonged morning downpour, saw the riders head out on to the 4.45km track with Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet and Anthony West showing early promise ahead of Sunday's 27 lap race. Both were soon featuring at or near the top of the time sheets before the heavens opened again, prompting virtually the whole field to return to the pits to sit out the worst of it.
|
|
Tag Search
Here's a random selection of the latest hi-def images we have for this tag.
Tags relate items to each other by subject. This page shows the latest items we've published for 'Naoya Kaneko'.
|
|
Tags: 
