Young gun John Hopkins is in Estoril, Portugal for this weekend’s World Championship Grand Prix, as a guest of the Red Bull Yamaha team.

The team has arranged a full program of activities for the young American, including listening in during debriefing sessions with Garry McCoy and Crew Chief Hamish Jamieson as well as participating in track scouting and qualifying observation missions with team Director Peter Clifford.

Hopkins’ manager, Doug Gonda of ProTac, Inc., is also in Portugal, as is Hopkins’ girlfriend.

Hopkins is expected to arrive back in the United States on Tuesday, before heading out to Willow Springs for next weekend’s AMA National.

Hopkins is tied for the AMA Formula Xtreme points lead with Damon Buckmaster, Hopkins riding a Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Buckmaster riding a Graves Yamaha YZF-R1. Two races remain in the AMA series, at Willow Springs and at Virginia International Raceway at the end of the month.