KIWI RIDER OCTOBER 2021 VOL.2 | Page 52

lead was short-lived and unbearable pain eventually forced him to withdraw from racing soon after the start of the day ’ s second race . Suddenly Coppins was 14 points behind Suzuki rider Ramon . It was the first time since the season began that the Kiwi was not holder of the championship leader ’ s red number board , which was handed to Ramon at Donington Park . Of the 15 GPs that made up the 2007 season , Coppins won the most – five before that fateful round 11 – while the next best in the
GP-winning stakes was actually Ramon ’ s teammate , Belgian Kevin Strijbos . But the record books show that Ramon won the world crown for 2007 , with Strijbos finishing runner-up . Josh had slipped to third overall for the season and this was certainly not a fair reflection of his worth . Coppins officially signed off his Grand Prix career at the end of the 2010 season , taking his factory Aprilia to finish 10-7 in the two motos at the Italian GP at Fermo . He finished the season with a world ranking of 12th .
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