Carlos Checa’s World Superbike season is over. The former champion had a massive crash during free practice on Friday morning in Istanbul, and was immediately diagnosed with contusions on his chest and a suspected fractured left scaphoid.
Those injuries were enough to keep him out of the race, but upon examination back in Spain, he was also found to have suffered a fractured pelvis. That injury means Checa is forced to miss the rest of the 2013 World Superbike season.
Though the official communique speaks only of 2013, a fractured pelvis could potentially end his career. It was a fractured pelvis that eventually ended the career of former Ducati legend Pierfrancesco Chili.
Chili broke his pelvis in 2005, and though he returned from that injury, he was never truly competitive again, his pelvis lacking the flexibility and strength necessary for racing a motorcycle.
With Checa turning 41 in October, there will be doubts over how strong he will be after his return, even if surgery to fix the injury is successful. And with Checa still locked in negotiations over his future, teams could be wary about offering him a contract.
Source: Ducati Alstare
This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.
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