Motegi, 22 September: Honda LCR rider Carlos Checa is expecting a tough, physically demanding race at Motegi tomorrow, where he will start from position fourteen for the Japanese Grand Prix. In today’s qualifying session, heat wave conditions saw track temperatures soar to 45 degrees with no sign of the predicted cooler conditions.

Checa is aiming for a consistent race into the top ten but does not underestimate the task after being slowed in qualifying by chatter, similar to his qualifying problem at Estoril. For the race, Checa and the LCR team have worked to refine chassis set-up using the softer of their race tyre options, with race endurance dependent on track temperature. Dani Pedrosa will start from pole position.

CHECA: Fourteenth - 1’47.334

CHECA: “I’m waiting for the cooler weather, not so much for me, but to improve the potential of our tyre and chassis set-up, usually it is not so hot for the Motegi race. My qualifying tyre runs were not so good, some chatter, like in Estoril returned on the very soft tyres. For the race we have softened the rear suspension and continue to work to maximise tyre endurance although we do not have the pace to run right at the front. I am aiming for a more consistent race than Estoril and finish in the top ten.”

For the 250cc grand prix, Eugene Laverty is also hoping for cooler temperatures having today made significant progress to improve the set-up for braking stability.

LAVERTY: “I only got one fast lap in, we also had a small engine problem, and I just missed the fifth row by 0.2s, I really wanted to be on the fifth row. The braking stability is much better today although a problem on the two downhill corners.”