John Hopkins Eyes AMA Superbike Return with Hammer

After 7 years spent in the MotoGP championship and one frustrating campaign in the World Superbike Championship, American rider John Hopkins may have decided that he had enough with Europe and contemplates a return to the AMA Superbike Series.

Hopkins has already been confirmed by M4 Hammer for the California Speedway testing in early February, where he is to ride a Suzuki GSX-R1000. While this may be the perfect opportunity for him to get back into competition form and revamp his motorcycle career, it may also help boost the championship's image within the North American fans.

Needless to say, Ben Spies deciding to leave the series for a place in the WSBK last season has left the fans quite disappointed, and the return of a former champion back to North America – where he won back to back titles between 2000 and 2001 in the AMA National Championships – would make it all better again.

“We're excited about having the opportunity to test with a rider the calibre of 'Hopper' and about the possibility that he might race with us in 2010. It's been several years since the team worked with John and we had a lot of success together the last time,” said Hammer's crew chief Keith Perry.

“John went on to have success in MotoGP and it's been nice to see him do well on the World Championship scene. The team is hoping this test at Fontana will lay the groundwork for a successful partnership with Hopkins in anticipation of working together this upcoming season,” added Perry.

Hopper used to work with Hammer in the past, as this is practically the team with whom he became double champion in the AMA Superbike Series in the early 2000s.