Teenager Hopkins secures Suzuki factory ride

An American teenager, whose British father raced in the Isle of Man TT, has been signed by Suzuki to ride in next season's MotoGP world championship.

The team, based at Edenbridge in Kent, have brought in the 19-year-old John Hopkins to race alongside his fellow Californian, Kenny Roberts Jnr, the 2000 500cc world champion. Both riders will race the latest version of Suzuki's 990cc V4 Suzuki GSV-R.

Hopkins, who moved to GPs last year on Yamaha and scored world championship points on a regular basis, was born in Ramona in southern California. His parents, who are from Acton in west London, emigrated to America shortly before his birth in 1983.

He replaces the Spaniard Sete Gibernau, who will race a Honda in 2003 alongside Japan's Daijiro Kato on a team backed by the Spanish company Telefonica Movistar. Suzuki have yet to announce a backer to replace Telefonica.

"I am really pleased to have a full factory contract in only my second year of GP racing," said Hopkins, who won both the AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme titles on Suzuki in the USA before moving up. "It's been my dream to be a full factory rider – and it all seems to have happened so fast."

Garry Taylor, Suzuki's team manager, said: "We have a history of looking for young riders like John – we picked up Barry Sheene and Kevin Schwantz at early stages of their careers, and both went on to win many races and three world championships with Suzuki.

"John gives off much the same sort of energy as the young Kevin – obviously very talented, but also very determined to reach the top."

Chris Walker has undergone a second operation in an attempt to aid his recovery from a broken leg and ankle in time to begin testing for next season's World Superbike Championship.

The Nottingham-based HM Plant Ducati racer, who was injured during a race at Mettet in Belgium, said: "My ankle was pinned and a plate with two screws was inserted into my leg. Unfortunately, the screws had come slightly adrift and my doctor recommended having a stronger plate fitted."