MotoGP: Checa to quit at end of season

Carlos Checa...leaving MotoGP for World Superbikes

CARLOS CHECA is to leave MotoGP at the end of 2007 to pursue a career in World Superbikes, riding for Ten Kate Honda.

The Spaniard's career in the premier league spanned over twelve years, with Checa taking two Grand Prix wins on home soil - one in 1996 and the other two years later.

Checa's website has released the following statement:

It's finally official! I'll move to the World Superbike Championship next year riding for Honda with the Ten Kate team. I'm really looking forward to this new challenge, it's an interesting step in my career and I'm very upbeat, I'm sure I can get good results and be competitive. Riding in World Superbike with Honda and Ten Kate is a good guarantee, and more than anything, I'm very proud of the fact that the factory and the team placed their faith in me and I hope to repay them by performing well in a very competitive series, which has quite a strong following all over the world. Racing at the Suzuka 8 hours made me realize the potential of a Superbike machine, as I felt very comfortable on the Honda and the way you have to ride it. Without any doubt, it's a great opportunity as I know my results won't be hampered by technical difficulties as it has been the case for the past two years. But before tackling this new challenge in Superbike, I want to wrap up my MotoGP career in the best possible fashion, aiming as high as possible for the last few Grand Prix of the season.