Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Gregorio Lavilla will replace John Hopkins in continuing tests of the Suzuki GSV-R at Sepang, Malaysia later this month, and may ride the machine again at Phillip Island.

Lavilla’s manager is negotiating a deal with the Suzuki MotoGP team which may also see the popular Spaniard work as a GSV-R test rider throughout 2004, with some wild-card GP entries as well.

Suzuki’s MotoGP program needs a rider to replace John Hopkins in crucial pre-season testing. Hopkins has carried a heavy testing load for Suzuki’s MotoGP program but crashed and fractured both ankles during practice for the Suzuki Crossover Challenge, a Supercross event sponsored by American Suzuki Motor Corp., in San Diego, California almost two weeks ago.

Famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Art Ting installed plates in both of Hopkins’ ankles last week.

Hopkins’ crash enraged various Japan-based officials involved in Suzuki Motor Company’s MotoGP program, who say they did not approve of Hopkins’ Supercross excursion.

Hopkins is an avid motocross rider, and began his motorcycle racing career in motocross. He rides motocross frequently to train and as a way to release stress and frustration related to riding a so-far-uncompetitive machine in MotoGP.

Lavilla is managed by the Zenit company of Barcelona, which also manages Dakar winner Nani Roma and Spanish road racers Pere Riba, Jose David de Gea and Jose Luis Cardoso.

“It’s been two-and-a-half months since I have ridden a racing bike and it is a shame that my chance to ride the Suzuki comes at a time when the others have had several tests, but I look forward to seeing how this bike really is and what it is like to ride,” said Lavilla, quoted in Spanish news reports.