Hopkins hopes to ride on Saturday

The Kawasaki rider did not take part in any of the practice sessions today after he aggravated the injury on Thursday night.

Hopkins suffered a displaced intercostal muscle in a crash at Brno, and although the injury healed well, he made it worse on Thursday and the team decided not to have him riding on Friday on safety grounds.

Kawasaki said Hopkins would be back in action in qualifying if he responds well enough to the treatment he has been receiving.

"To be sidelined by something so simple is really disappointing, but while the injury isn't serious it is really painful, especially when you're on the bike," said Hopkins.

"I thought I was back to full fitness after resting up since Brno, but then I managed to tweak the same Intercostal muscle during a light training session on Thursday evening, and the pain kept me awake most of the night.

"The injury has responded well to treatment, and is now much improved, but the lack of sleep meant that it was difficult to concentrate fully ahead of this afternoon's practice session. Rather than risk further injury by riding at less than 100 percent, together with the team, I made the decision to sit out this afternoon's practice.

"Tomorrow I'll be good to go, and I hope that the lack of track time today won't stop us picking up where we left off at the last round."