Carlos Checa
Spanish former motorcycle racer and 2011 Superbike World Champion
Carlos Checa Carrera (born 15 October 1972) is a Spanish former professional motorcycle road racer and winner of the 2011 Superbike World Championship. After racing in 500 cc and MotoGP for over a decade, mostly on Honda and Yamaha machinery and claiming two Grand Prix victories despite not having full manufacturer support, he moved to the Superbike World Championship on a Honda where he went on to claim 24 victories and one championship. He has a younger brother, David Checa, also a motorcycle racer who competed in the Superbike World Championship.
Quick Facts
- Nationality
- Spanish (Barcelona)
- Factory teams
- Honda (Repsol), Ducati
- Riding style
- Smooth
- consistent
- low-crash
- Status
- Retired (end of 2011 season)
Lore & Background
Born in Barcelona, Spain, Checa made his debut in 125cc and 250cc motorcycle racing for Honda. He moved up to the 500cc class as a replacement for Alberto Puig, who broke both his legs in a crash in France. Checa shocked the paddock by being on the pace and nearly winning the Barcelona race. He continued with the team until 1998, when he suffered near fatal injuries with a crash at Donington Park's Craner Curves, initially thought to have only scrapes and bruises before losing his vision and needing emergency surgery to remove his spleen. He fought back to ride that year, missing just one race, then raced for Yamaha as Max Biaggi's teammate on two-strokes and four-strokes. He nearly won many races but had a habit of crashing after taking the lead, such as at Rio de Janeiro in 2002 when he stalled on the starting line, rode through the field to take the lead, then crashed a corner later. Checa continued with the factory Yamaha team for 2003 and 2004, then moved to Marlboro Ducati. In 2006 he returned to the Tech 3 Yamaha team, beating teammate James Ellison but not threatening the rest of the field due to Dunlop tyres. He struggled as the sole LCR Honda rider in 2007 with the uncompetitive 800cc Honda. At the Sachsenring he got an updated frame that other non-works Honda riders had found uncompetitive, believed to be due to Checa using Michelin tyres like the works team. Checa returned to the series as a replacement for Mika Kallio for the last two races of the season.
Reader's Guide
For the season, Checa left MotoGP to join the Ten Kate Honda team in the Superbike World Championship as a replacement for champion James Toseland. At Valencia, he challenged Max Neukirchner for the win at the final corner, resulting in a collision which broke Neukirchner's collarbone. His first two wins came at Miller Motorsports Park on 1 June 2008. He finished fifth in the championship and also won the Suzuka 8 Hours with teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari. In the following season, Checa struggled, securing just four podium finishes and finishing seventh in the riders' standings. Ten Kate Honda downsized from three riders to two, releasing Checa and Kiyonari. In November 2009, Checa was confirmed at the Althea Ducati team alongside Shane Byrne. He scored Althea's first win at Phillip Island, and was on course for victories at Miller before mystery mechanical failures. He won at Imola and finished third in the championship. Checa dominated the opening round of the next season, winning both races at Phillip Island on his Ducati 1098R. He won thirteen more times and was crowned the 2011 World Superbike Champion at the penultimate round at Magny-Cours, becoming the first Spaniard and only the third European rider from outside the United Kingdom after Raymond Roche and Max Biaggi to do so.
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