Viewers new to MotoGP may well have questioned if Carlos Checa was on the same team as Valentino Rossi at Welkom, and noওt just because of the different livery; Checa finished the Africa's Grand Prix nine places and 40secs behind his team-mate.

The Spaniard claimed h🦂is African problems were centred around a lack of mid-race traction - although he'd also be෴en 1.2secs slower than Rossi in qualifying - and hopes a post-Welkom meeting will help him perform in front of his adoring home crowd at Jerez this weekend.

"Valentino's result in Welkom proved thaꦗt the bike can go faster and, although I don't want to say I can do the same as him straight away, this provides me with some encouragement," said Carlos. "It is in our hands to improve our position and it is my biggest wish to be at a point iꦬn Jerez where I can fight at the front.

"After the Welkom race I had a meeting with my mechanics and we discussed the reasons behind the problems I had ove𓂃r the weekend. They will decide what the best way forward is and we will work together to make the necessary changes," he added.

The recent IRTA⭕ tests at Jerez may offer some valuable data for Checa's back-up crew, as he 𒅌attempts to overturn his recent form.

"In Spain we will start with one bike with the same set-up as we used during the last Jerez test," revealed Carlos. "We will then work from there to find the best r🍌ace setting. We used a different set-up in South Africa which we won't use this time. I have had bad luck for the last two years in Jerez and have been unable to finish the races due to problems over which I had no control, so I hope that this time things will be bet🔯ter!"

"Carlos has not had the start to the year we were hoping for, but we have every confidence in him for Jerez. His IRTA ಞtest timesജ were good there and we expect to see him fighting at the top in front of his home fans on Sunday," declared Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha team director Davide Brivio.

As w❀ell as Yamaha expectation, a sell out Jerez crowd are sure to be cheering Ch𒁃eca throughout the three days. A strong result on Sunday would please both parties and give the 31-year-old some firm foundations for the rest of the season.

"Spain is a bit different; there are friends everywhere and many fans," commented Ca✅rlos. "It is a track I know well and the fans t♎here give me a strong feeling of encouragement; I hope I can give them a good show. I am comfortable at this track and I know the corners and the braking points well."