Honda LCR rider Carlos Checa scored his second top ten finish of the season with 10th place in today’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Checa lost valuable time in turn one after the start, when he was forced to run wide to avoid hitting Alex Hofmann following a crash involving Toni Elias and Alex Barros.

Checa was 13th at the end of lap one but recovered strongly to pass Yamaha rival Colin Edwards on lap 16 to secure tenth place, running the same pace late in the race as Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet. The race was won by Australian rider Casey Stoner.

CHECA: Tenth - Championship: 12th/20 points

CHECA: “I’m satisfied with this result because I knew this would be a tough race as we had a top speed disadvantage on the straight and it is difficult to fight in this condition. I rode as fast as possible and after I passed Edwards I was able to match the pace of Capirossi and De Puniet ahead of me. In the first corner I had to stop and run wide to avoid hitting Hofmann, it was better to do that than crash and then I just tried to make up time. Now I’m looking ahead to the Le Mans race.”

In the 250cc Grand Prix Eugene Laverty finished just outside the points in 17th position after losing time when he ran wide on lap one.

LAVERTY: “My start was OK and I passed four riders on the first lap but missed my braking point in the back straight, the wind pushed deep into the corner, and then I ran wide because of the crash in front of me. It was difficult to repeat my practice times, I didn’t have a smooth feeling with the rear of the bike.”