Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.



Interview by Michael Hannas

(Stewart Miller, a 28-year-old Scotsman, is one of the three mechanics working on John Hopkins’ Red Bull Yamaha YZR500 under the direction of race engineer Colin Davies. Miller, who has been with Red Bull WCM for three years, is a motorcycle fanatic who used to race himself in club events in the U.K. Roadracing World’s Michael Hannas met Miller in San Diego last week, where Miller was on holiday between the Rio and Motegi rounds of the MotoGP Championship. Hannas, who doesn’t get a chance very often to talk to MotoGP mechanic, whipped out a tape recorder, and asked Miller a few questions. Miller’s answers, which are his personal opinion based on his personal experience working with various riders in 500cc Grand Prix and MotoGP, were transcribed directly off the tape. Obviously, Roadracingworld.com and Hannas had no control over what Miller said; Hannas asked the questions, and Miller said what he said. In other words, if you are a fanatical supporter of Noriyuki Haga or Regis Laconi, or for that matter a fanatical detractor of John Hopkins, tell it to their former or current mechanic, not us.):


Roadracingworld.com: Who were your riders before John Hopkins?
Miller: Well, it was Haga last year and Laconi the year before.


RW: How would you say Hopkins stacks up compared to those two, as far as how he is to work with?
Miller: Well, he is above them. No question, he is on another level than those two.


RW: What would you say the main differences are between Hopper and Haga and Laconi?
Miller: The other guys would always blame the bike when things didn’t go so well. Haga never really wanted to be there, he didn’t eat in the hospitality tent with the team once all season, never hung out with the mechanics, and always blamed the bike when his results were poor. Laconi was really emotional, one minute he’d be a hero and the next he thought he was shite. He also constantly blamed the machine, whereas John just f–king rides it!


RW: So Hopkins doesn’t ask you guys to make very many changes to the bike?
Miller: Once we found a good baseline setting for him, John hasn’t changed the bike around very much, no. He is always pleasant to work with and gives 100% every time he is on the track. It is refreshing that instead of racing for his paycheck or publicity, he just races to win. Period.


RW: How do you think Hopkins will do next season on a four-stroke?
Miller: I think he’ll be on it. There are a lot of variables so it is hard to speculate at this point in time, but when we get the machine sorted out, I’m sure John will surprise a lot of people. He has the talent and the desire, so with competitive equipment and a year of experience on the circuits, I think he’ll be up there next year for sure.