From Doubt to Dominance: Carlos Checa Reflects on Valentino Rossi’s Unforgettable Yamaha Debut

A year alongside Valentino Rossi: "His victory was unexpected, yet he achieved it"

When Valentino Rossi transitioned from Honda to Yamaha, he departed from a motorcycle that had secured him three straight championships, joining a team that had not won a title in 12 years.

The gamble was enormous, yet it became a pivotal moment in MotoGP's history. Honda was adamant, refusing to let Rossi try out his new Yamaha motorcycle until the very last minute before the 2004 season kicked off.

It was irrelevant. Rossi made history as the first rider since Eddie Lawson to secure back-to-back championships in the top category on different motorcycles.

Carlos Checa was Rossi's initial partner at Yamaha. Due to Rossi's long career and the tumultuous relationships he had with other teammates, especially Jorge Lorenzo, this pairing is mostly overlooked.

Checa, who finished in seventh place in 2004 while his new teammate clinched the championship, confesses he was amazed that Rossi transformed a previously unnoticed Yamaha bike into a championship-winning machine.

Last year, Checa mentioned to DAZN that they doubted Valentino could achieve victory with Yamaha, but he proved them wrong.

"In my view, it was a learning experience as well because I believe we became complacent after discovering the motorcycle's limitations."

“Valentino showed up full of vigor during his peak.”

Rossi's name is now closely linked with Yamaha. The magnitude of the gamble he made by departing from Honda is perhaps underappreciated today.

Checa remarked, "I think it was his way of getting back at me: 'Do you think I only win because I'm riding a Honda?'"

"Yamaha put in significant effort as well. He initiated a major transformation."

Checa now takes pride in the minor contribution he made to Rossi's numerous achievements. Sharing the same garage as his teammate for a year, Checa played a part in refining the bike that Rossi elevated to greater success.

"We put a lot of effort into improving the bike, and I believe we did an outstanding job with Yamaha. What’s gratifying is that the next year, they introduced a new bike but ended up going back to the old model—the one we had worked on," he remarked.

Rossi insisted on having a wall divide the Yamaha garage when Lorenzo was his teammate, but he had no such problems with Checa.

“He was very straightforward, exactly as he appears,” the Spaniard remembers.

"Highly competitive. He possessed exceptional skills and, most importantly, an outstanding ability to manage his mindset."

"He was an individual eager to gain knowledge."

"I have a fantastic connection with him. It was an amazing chance to be in the same garage, exchange experiences, share moments, and collaborate with one of the greatest riders of all time."

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