John Hopkins withdraws from 2012 finale

John Hopkins's 2012 World Superbike campaign has come to a premature conclusion after the American decided he wasn't fit enough to complete the Magny-Cours season finale.

The 29-year-old has been beset by a myriad of injuries during his career, the most recent of which - a hip injury sustained in an accident at Monza earlier in the season - proving particularly uncomfortable around the technically demanding French circuit.

As such, Hopkins has opted to take no further part in the final event of the 2012 season, ending a year that has struggled to live up to the promise 2011 when he went a long way to reviving his career by finishing runner-up in the British Superbike Championship and impressing during a one-off wild-card at Silverstone.

However, the 2012 season has seen Hopkins suffer more injuries. Having been forced to have part of his finger amputated - the legacy of an accident at Brno whilst competing as a MotoGP wild-card - prior to the 2012 season getting underway, Hopkins would miss the opening round altogether when he broke his hand in a test fall.

However, it was his high-speed tumble at Monza and the subsequent hip injury he suffered that has prevented Hopkins from performing at his best for much of the season. Currently 19th in the standings, he will end his season with a best of ninth place achieved at the Moscow Raceway.

Hopkins's plans for 2013 remain unclear, though FIXI Crescent Suzuki team-mate Leon Camier has re-signed to stay with the team for another season.