"I'd like to thank everybody for their help this year especially my crew and Chief Technician Tom O'Kane, and congratulations to John on his third place today. It's been a great two years working with him and it will be sad to see him go. I wish him good luck next year and hope he does well – as long as we beat him!" added the Aussie.

"I am really happy with the end result today for the whole team, and especially for John who has been loyal, hard working and has always given 100% during his five seasons with Suzuki," declared team manager Paul Denning.

"During the last two years we have given him massively improved equipment and that has enabled him to take big steps forward. Today he gave everything for us and thoroughly deserved his podium, and to finish his Suzuki career on a high. On behalf of the whole team I would like to thank him for some great times on and off the track and we all wish him well in the future - he'll certainly be missed!

"Chris's potential was to fight with John for a podium position, but it's difficult to come from 12th on the first lap and get past the quality of riders that are out there on this type of circuit. However, as always he raced aggressively and maintained lap-times right till the end, and only missed fourth place by a second.

"Suzuki did not win the world championship this season, but we have to put that into context with the starting point from 2005 and 2006 and I believe Rizla Suzuki as a team, Suzuki as a factory and all Suzuki fans worldwide can be proud of our achievements. We are the only manufacturer not to suffer a mechanical breakdown in any race this year, both riders finished in the top-six of the championship and we missed second in the team's championship by only one point. This is a solid position to move forward from and I want to thank every single person involved in the project for their commitment, hard work and efforts."

Loris Capirossi will replace Hopkins at Suzuki next season.