When Valentino Rossi swapped Honda for Yamaha, he was forsaking a motorcycle that powered him to 3 consecutive championships for a workforce on a 12-year barren run.
It was a colossal danger however one which redefined MotoGP historical past. Honda dug their heels in, not permitting Rossi to check his new Yamaha bike till the newest attainable alternative earlier than the 2004 season.
It didn’t matter. Rossi turned the primary rider since Eddie Lawson within the premier class to win consecutive championships on completely different bikes.
Yamaha teammate ‘did not anticipate’ Valentino Rossi to win
Carlos Checa was his first teammate at Yamaha. It’s a largely forgotten partnership, such is the size of Rossi’s tenure and the volatility he shared with different teammates, notably Jorge Lorenzo.
Checa, who got here seventh in 2004 as his new teammate stormed to the title, admits he was surprised that Rossi took a Yamaha bike from obscurity to glory.
“We didn’t consider Valentino was able to profitable with Yamaha, and he did,” Checa as soon as advised DAZN.
“For me it was additionally a lesson as a result of I believe we fell asleep for a bit after we discovered limits on the bike.
“Valentino arrived with vitality at his greatest second.”
Rossi is now synonymous along with his time at Yamaha. The dimensions of the danger he took, leaving Honda, is now maybe neglected.
Checa stated: “I consider it was revenge for him: ‘Do you assume I win as a result of I’ve a Honda?’
“Yamaha had additionally labored rather a lot. He began a drastic change.”
Checa is now pleased with the small position he held in Rossi’s lengthy checklist of successes. As his teammate in the identical storage for one 12 months, Checa helped develop the bike that Rossi took to new heights.
“We labored rather a lot with the bike, I believe we did an unimaginable job with Yamaha, however the satisfaction is that the next 12 months they made a brand new bike and needed to return to the previous one, which is the one which we left,” he stated.
Rossi demanded a wall separated the Yamaha storage when Lorenzo was his teammate, however there have been no such points with Checa.
“He was very clear, identical to we see him,” the Spaniard recollects.
“Very aggressive. He had monumental expertise and, above all, a psychological administration means.
“He was a special man who needed to be taught.
“I’ve an distinctive relationship with him. It was an important alternative to share the storage, the experiences, the moments and the work with among the finest riders that has ever existed.”
