The riders are divided into two categories: those who have won at least one World Championship, regardless of the category, and those who have never won". Carlos Checa, a Spanish rider who rightfully entered the glorious history of the Ducati by winning a World Superbike championship on a two-wheeler from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, is part of the first group. Let's retrace the career of the Catalan champion, who came to success after years of bitter pills but also constant growth.
The beginnings
Born in 1972 in the Catalan community of Sant Fruitos de Bages, Checa began his motorsport career at the age of twenty, participating in the 125cc European Championship. Riding a Honda, he scored 45 points and finished in eighth place. The following year he took a step forward, making his debut in the 125cc class world championship and always with a Honda. He participated as a wild card in the European Grand Prix, obtaining 9 points from his seventh place finish. 1993 was a formative year for Checa who, in addition to competing in a 125cc race, also raced in the final of the 250cc World Championship with the Honda Pit-Lane team, participating in the last 6 grands prix and scoring 9 points.
1994 coincided with the first 250 World Championship in which he took part from the beginning. The marriage with Honda continued and, playing in the Givi Racing team, he finished the world championship in twelfth place. His best result was in the United States, finishing seventh. 1995 was also a formative year: he started in 250 with the Fortuna Honda Pons team and then moved to 500 starting from the British Grand Prix in place of the injured Alberto Puig. The results in the new class were good: in 5 races he totaled an eighth and two seventh places, a prelude to the definitive promotion among the greats.
The adventure in 500: more sorrows than joys
Confirmed in the Fortuna Honda Pons team in 1996, Checa started the season on a high note with a third place in Malaysia. Afterwards, however, he was unable to maintain the same consistency, redeeming himself only in the final with the victory in Catalonia and the third place in Australia. The following year ended with the same final placement (eighth) and three second places.
1998 represents the highest and at the same time the most dramatic point of his experience in the 500. He conquers the fourth final place – best result of his career in the category – but is forced to miss several races due to a serious injury that causes the loss of his spleen and post-operative complications. In 1999 he moved to Yamaha, with whom he remained until 2004, sailing between fifth and seventh place and taking several podiums but no victories. The last few years between 500 and MotoGP saw him change teams often – between Ducati, Yamaha and Honda – without ever finding the form of the best times.
The move to Superbike: the triumph of 2011
In 2008 Checa decided to change course and landed in the Superbike World Championship with a Honda, finishing in fourth place. After another year in the same team, in 2010 he moved to the Althea Racing team with a Ducati 1098R. It was the beginning of the turning point: he triumphed in Australia and in the two Italian races, finishing third behind Biaggi and Haslam.
2011 is the year of absolute triumph. Riding his Ducati, Checa dominated the season by winning 15 of the 26 races on the calendar and scoring 505 points, 110 more than second-placed Marco Melandri. The following year he started well but gave way to Biaggi, who became champion again. The last World Championship for Checa was in 2013, again with Ducati, a team with which he fueled the legend thanks to a title that will remain in history.
