Carlos Checa
SpainBiography of Carlos Checa
Carlos Checa was born in 1972 in Barcelona, Spain. From a young age, he and his brother would ride bicycles around the city. As he got older, Carlos developed a growing interest in motorcycles and motorcycle racing, eventually buying himself a used motorcycle. At the age of 21, he made his debut in the motorcycle category with an engine capacity of up to 125 cubic centimeters. He quickly moved up to the 250 cubic centimeters class while racing for the 'Honda' team, marking the beginning of his professional racing career.
Early Career
In 1995, Checa joined the 'Blue Riband' team, replacing renowned racer Alberto Puig, who had been involved in a serious accident during a race and broke both of his legs. Checa began competing in the 500 cubic centimeters category and soon became one of the most promising racers in the team. However, in 1998, his career was almost cut short before it really took off. During a race, Checa failed to navigate a turn and crashed into the barriers at full speed. Despite quickly getting up and signaling to medics that he was okay, he suddenly lost his vision. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors couldn't believe that someone with such injuries could even stand up, let alone walk to the team tent. Checa spent several weeks in the hospital, but soon after being discharged, he got back on a motorcycle determined to continue his career.
Professional Career
During his illness, Checa only missed one race. In 2002, he was involved in another accident, but luckily didn't sustain any serious injuries. By 2004, the renowned Valentino Rossi became his teammate, but in 2005, Checa was forced to switch to the 'Ducati' team as his contract with 'Yamaha' expired and the owners didn't attempt to renew it. By 2008, Checa had become an experienced rider in the 800 cubic centimeters category. He joined the Superbike World Championship series with his team, replacing the leader and defending champion James Toseland. Although he achieved decent results in all four races, he didn't manage to secure a place on the podium.
Recent Years
In November 2009, Checa joined the 'Althea Ducati' team. Throughout the season, he secured several significant victories, with the most notable ones taking place at the 'Miller Motorsports Park' in Utah, United States. As of today, Carlos Checa continues to race for the 'Althea Ducati' team and leads the championship standings, with his closest competitor, Max Biaggi, trailing him by over 10 points.
