Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The lap-time spread between the latest version of the Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP racebike on Michelin tires and a Yoshimura GSX-R1000 Superbike on Dunlop tires at Sepang is 3.5 seconds.

At least that is the time difference so far between the fastest Suzuki MotoGP rider and three-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, who was the fastest AMA Superbike man at Sepang, as of Tuesday morning.

John Hopkins’ best lap on the GSV-R was 2:06.0 versus Mladin’s 2:09.5, both on Tuesday morning (local time) at Sepang.

Various motorcycle racing pundits had speculated that Mladin and his GSX-R1000 Superbike teammates would go as fast as or faster than the Suzuki MotoGP men at the week-long test in Malaysia.

Hopkins’ teammate, former 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts, was in the 2:07s Tuesday morning, as was Garry McCoy on the Kawasaki MotoGP bike.