With the collapse of Kawasaki’s MotoGP efforts for 2009, Monster Energy Drinks have decided to pull their sponsorship with John Hopkins and have instead signed a 2 year deal with Valentino Rossi. Although not yet formally announced, it is rumoured that Monster will pay Rossi 2.5 million Euros and will add a bonus of a further half a million Euros if Rossi wins the Championship (a clause they probably never bothered including in John Hopkin’s contract).

This is a huge slap to John Hopkins – his sponsorship with Monster meant that any team hiring Hopkins would effectively have his salary covered due to the sponsorship he brought with him. With this sponsorship now gone, Hopkins will struggle to get a ride on the same wages that he’s been used to over the last few seasons.

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