When Valentino Rossi left the dominant Honda team to join Yamaha ahead of the 2004 MotoGP season, it was a gamble few thought would pay off. Rossi had already secured three straight titles with Honda, while Yamaha hadn’t won a championship in over a decade. To make matters tougher, Honda delayed Rossi’s chance to test the Yamaha until the last possible moment.
Yet, Rossi defied expectations. He won the season opener in South Africa and went on to claim the championship, becoming the first rider since Eddie Lawson to win back-to-back titles on different bikes.
Carlos Checa, Rossi’s first teammate at Yamaha, was taken aback by how quickly Rossi transformed the struggling team into champions.
“We didn’t believe Valentino was capable of winning with Yamaha, and he did,” Checa told DAZN. “It was a lesson for us. I think we relaxed when we found the limits of the bike. Valentino came in with full energy at the peak of his career.”
Rossi’s decision to leave Honda was more than a challenge—it was personal. “I think it was his way of proving a point,” Checa said. “He wanted to show he wasn’t just winning because of the Honda. Yamaha also put in the work, and he pushed for a major transformation.”
Although Checa finished seventh that season, he remains proud of the role he played in Yamaha’s development. “We did an incredible job. The following year, they made a new bike, but eventually returned to the one we developed. That says a lot.”
Unlike Rossi’s later rivalry-filled partnership with Jorge Lorenzo, his time with Checa was marked by mutual respect. “He was very transparent, just as we saw him in public. Incredibly competitive, with extraordinary skills and mental strength. He always wanted to learn.”
Checa added, “It was a great opportunity to share the garage and the experience with one of the greatest riders of all time.”
