As he heads into Round 4 of the championship at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Althea Racing flag-bearer Carlos Checa holds a 43 point advantage over Max Biaggi, the second-placed rider. Having clocked up four race wins and two third place finishes in the opening six races of this year, Checa's results also help place Ducati at the top of the manufacturer's standings.

The Spanish rider finds himself in an entirely different situation to last year, when on the eve of the Italian Round he was fourth overall, 71 points from the top. Following his near-perfect season start, the Spanish matador is convinced he can have a positive weekend at the Monza circuit, where he could only score a 14th and an 11th place twelve months ago.

"I will face Monza just as I have the other races," said Checa. "Up until now we have had great results and so we won't be changing much technically speaking. This is of course a different kind of track and we will have to work hard to not lose too much ground on the straights. There are some difficult sections of track and so we must interpret the circuit well and concentrate on the tough parts. I feel in great shape and am ready to give my all. My team is extremely motivated and with their help I think we can make two great races."