“With all the back-and-forth going on whether Kawasaki would be in MotoGP or not this season, Monster Energy Drink wasn’t willing to take the season to chance. They have decided to drop John Hopkins from their payroll, and have added Valentino Rossi instead. In a few days we are expecting to hear a formal announcement of the agreement, but the terms have already been leaked. Monster will sponsor Rossi for 2 years, to the tune of 2.5 million euros, plus a bonus of another half a million euros if he wins the Championship.

This news is a devastating blow to John Hopkins who’s ride for 2009 is still up in the air. Monster’s sponsorship of the American rider helped defray the cost a team had to incurr to have Hopper riding with them. Now without the help from Monster, Hopkins is going to have  to take a massive pay-cut, or find a team willing to pay him more than he’s probably worth at this point.”