Kawasaki 'benefiting from Hopkins'.
Those positions may not have set any pulses racing, but 'Team Green' insists that lap times weren't a concern and claims to be delighted with the impact former Suzuki rider Hopkins has already made.
The Anglo-American is making steady progress at adapting the ZX-RR to his requirements - with a new frame, clutch parts and engine components amongst numerous changes which have assisted the 24-year-old in his task.
Those positions may not have set any pulses racing, but 'Team Green' insists that lap times weren't a concern and claims to be delighted with the impact former Suzuki rider Hopkins has already made.
The Anglo-American is making steady progress at adapting the ZX-RR to his requirements - with a new frame, clutch parts and engine components amongst numerous changes which have assisted the 24-year-old in his task.
"We finish the season happy with what we've achieved since the Valencia race," declared Kawasaki competition manager Michel Bartholemy. "The new team members have been integrated into our existing structure with no problems, and already we're starting to see the benefits of their experience.
"We're also benefiting from the arrival of John Hopkins. His feedback has been extremely accurate and we now have a clear direction for our development engineers. That he's jumped on our Ninja ZX-RR and declared the bike only in need of some refinement, and no fundamental changes, means that Kawasaki's race engineers will be able to focus completely on addressing the areas for improvement that he's identified.
"The work that John has done over the last month will also pay dividends for Anthony, as he prepares for his first full winter test schedule aboard our MotoGP machine," added Bartholemy.
As the team depart Spain for the winter break, Hopkins is looking forward to his imminent marriage to fiancee Ashleigh, whilst West has a punishing fitness schedule lined up - after a spot of surgery.
"From here I go to Munich to have a plate and four screws removed from my left wrist, after which I'll head back home to Australia for Christmas," said West. "After a hectic second half to the season I was intending to chill out for a while when I got home, but if I've learnt one thing this year it's that you have to be fit to ride in MotoGP, so the plan now is to work on my fitness over the testing ban, with a few hundred laps on the motocross bike."
Hopkins and West will be back in MotoGP action at Sepang in late January 2008.
