Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542349
MOTOGP ?OOS MotoGP Season Preview I I I tr t I , trARK R5 5 JOHN HOPKINS Rizla Suzuki MAKOTO TAMAOA Konika Minolta Honda Still only 22, the "Hopper" has frequently shown signs of exceptional speed, and always tries his very verT hardest. His Suzuki so far has been the weak link in the chain. but he's always been willing to ride the wheels off it. Only when his machine is at least close to the competition will he really be able to show if there is more to him than this, He's never been in a position to deploy tactics, He's back, but he's not scary l'lakoto flew in his second season, 2004, win- ning Brazil and japan. Then he switched from Bridgestone to Michelin in 2@5, glad to be up against Rgssi on equal rubber... and he was toast. He had a terrible year. So what? He's still a good rider, and the f8hting spirit is not so easily distin- guished. lt's iust a matter o{ regaining the confidence oI those massiYe lean angles, and he'll be right back up there again. Or possibly not. after all, so we have no idea whether he has any talent in this area. The strength of the rcw air-valve Suzuki will determine his progress once again this year. TONI €LIAS Fortuna Honda h::,=.:tf:::':" quality, and his prowess likety to be defined by the nuchine rather than atiliqt Could be a good way in to tlE chss, however; for dre riler who Mice czrne clo6e to dle Superbike tide in dle course of a fast-forward career. Once the terror of the 125 class and a 250 winner, the little 23-year-old Spaniard's first season on the Fortuna Fll Yamaha was blighted by iniury but he finished strongly. Unusually, he theo found it hard to switch to the Honda in early tests. Still wonh keeping an eye on, once he comes to terms with the V-live. The AEtralian b 23, but riles with nteJrity ard style Hopefully, he will not be ho6tage to hir machir€ forgver CAs€Y STON€R LRC Honda Another youngster with the big 8uys, after finally last sea- son dropping rhe "crasher" tag to run Pedrosa close for the 250 title. Casey is iust 20, and has the security of his familiar LCR team, run by Lucio Cecchinello. ln hi5 first year on a big motorbike, he can only really hope to learn. JAMES €LLIsON TGch 3 Yamaha The Englishman looked Bood on the ourpowered wCM, not only consistent, but consistently hsler than his team- mates pest and pres€nt. Now he's on a proper l'4otoGP bike, the satellire Yamaha M I, and so far he's found it a bigger rtep dEn he expected. Give him a year to learn, He's still just 25, and Britain's brightest hope ritht now. AL€X HOFMANN D'Antin Pramac Ducati lll fortune and iniury has attended the career ofthe German, dropped by Kawasekj, but picked up by the d'Antin satellite Ducatiteam. His suPPo.ters insist he is a rider of real quality. This year's level-two Ducatis are proper upgraded'06 bikes, not hr shoft ofthe ProP- er factory tackle. But we'll have to wait and see what sort of a iob this shoestring team makes of runnint them. RANDY DE PUNIET Fuchs Kawasaki At 25, France's briSht hope has made the step up from an errdtically impressive 250 career onto the Kavvasaki. This rs not everybody s dream ride, but he is in a good position to benefit from teammate Nakano's experience. Randy tended to fell off his 250 rather too often, but if he turns out to be better suited to biEter bikes, he would not be the first, He, too, went surprisingly rapidly in preseason tests. It will be fun to watch, anyway. ALSO RUNNINE JO5E LUI5 EAROOSO D'Antin Pramac Ducati It's hard to get excited about Jose Luis Cardoso. He used to race in the 250 class, with little distinction, back in the mid-1990s; more recently he had had an undirtinguished season in World Superbikes. The second rider on the satellite Ducati, Cardoso is not in the bettinS. I W a 38 MARCH 2e,2006 . CYCLE NEWS a I' rt a. -<;t Ftt, .j I I I I la I S h RANK T]UT5ItrER5 rl !t fr l :4 lktl&sakl \