WSB Miller: Checa philosophical despite double DNF

Carlos Checa saw the chance of a double race win and a maximum 50 point haul denied by technical problems in both races today. The Spanish 37 year old riding the Althea Ducati was leading both races comfortably when he was forced to retire.

In the opening race Checa enjoyed a 3.23 second lead over Italian Max Biaggi when his bike stopped with a suspected ride by wire problem. In race two Checa had again worked his way to the front despite suffering a ten mph speed deficit to Biaggi’s Aprilia, but on lap six while 1.9 seconds in the lead his bike suffered a mechanical problem, slowed and then stopped on lap eight.

Speaking to MCN, Checa said: “It would have been easy to finish the races in first position as I had already done the most difficult thing of getting into the lead and pulling away. I gave everything I have this weekend but I lost it because of something out of my control.

“From a personal feeling I am OK, but to stop in both races is a feeling that is difficult to digest for me. In the first race the bike just stopped so I think it was some sort of electrical sensor, but in the second race as I came across the line I felt the power go down and it was not consistent. I thought it was not possible for something to happen in both races and then at the end of the straight it stopped.

“We must think positive. The championship is very difficult to win but 50 points would have helped. In bike racing these things can happen and it seems that it happened here.”