Honda LCR rider Carlos Checa did not finish the Italian Grand Prix, crashing out of the race before the halfway mark on lap ten. The early exit was a huge disappointment for Checa, at the home race of the LCR Team. Although the race was run in warm and sunny conditions, Checa suffered from a lack dry track set-up time after a weekend of unpredictable rain showers.

Checa started 14th and was in that position, in a close race with Shinya Nakano and Colin Edwards, when he crashed entering the turn four chicane on lap ten. The race was watched by 85,480 spectators and won by Valentino Rossi.

CHECA: DNF - Championship: 13th/20 points

CHECA: “This is a big disappointment. I was trying to recover some positions and I had Colin and Shinya ahead, but it was quite difficult, I didn’t have comfortable feeling overall. I was pushing too much, trying for a better result, and I crashed. My intention was not to crash, but when the feeling is not right you should listen to the feeling, and try to understand. But now we must look to a positive weekend in Barcelona for the next race.”

Irish rider Eugene Laverty celebrated his 21st birthday today, overcoming a lack of dry practice time with a stirring ride to 20th place in the 250cc Grand Prix, after a close, last lap battle with Jules Cluzel (19th) and Roberto Locatelli (18th).

LAVERTY: “I was praying for rain, so I didn’t get my birthday wish. Again I had clutch problems at the start but it was a lot of fun. Cluzel would pass me down the straight every lap, and then I would outbrake him and go ahead in turn one. At the final corner Locatelli outbraked me and I lost the chance of slipstream to the line.”