the racing line …
Loris Capirossi (West Pons-Honda NSR500) leading Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Tech3-Yamaha YZR500), Valentino Rossi (Nastro Azzurro HRC-Honda NSR500) & Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Suzuki RGV500), 2001 German 500cc Grand Prix, Sachsenring
the racing line …
start of the 2001 German 500cc Grand Prix, Sachsenring
the racing line …
Marco Melandri (Fortuna YRT-Yamaha YZR-M1) leading the pack over Lukey Heights, 2003 Australian MotoGP Grand Prix, Phillip Island
family photo …
all riders lined up at the beginning of the season, 2002 Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix, Suzuka
tucked in …
Olivier Jacque, KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2007 Italian MotoGP Grand Prix, Mugello
on the throttle …
Olivier Jacque, KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2007 Italian MotoGP Grand Prix, Mugello
leaning in …
Olivier Jacque, KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2007 Malaysian MotoGP Grand Prix, Sepang
as close as you can get …
Olivier Jacque, Moriwaki-Honda MD211VF, 2004 Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix, Motegi
… as close as you can get to a factory Honda
the racing line …
Toni Elias (Gresini-Honda RC212V) leading Olivier Jacque (KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR) & Kenny Roberts Jr. (Team Roberts KR212V), 2007 FIM MotoGP World Championship
OJ …
Olivier Jacque, KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang
leaning in …
Olivier Jacque, KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2007 Malaysian MotoGP Grand Prix, Sepang
hitting the powerband …
Olivier Jacque, KRT-Kawasaki ZX-RR, 2007 Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix, Losail
the last stand …
Tohru Ukawa (Repsol HRC-Honda RC211V) leading Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Tech3-Yamaha YZR500), Alex Barros (West Pons-Honda NSR500) & Shinya Nakano (Gauloises Tech3-Yamaha YZR500), 2002 German MotoGP Grand Prix, Sachsenring
the Sachsenring, where 125cc strokers went faster through T1 to T2 than the big 990cc monsters, was the ideal place for a last 500cc two stroke stand off, back in 2002, when they were still allowed to compete together with the newly introduced 990cc four stroke machines
it all started with Olivier Jacque & Shinya Nakano putting their year old 500cc Yamaha’s on places 1 & 2 on the grid with Alex Barros completing the two stroke attack on the front row in 4th, only Max Biaggi (who always performed very well at the Sachsenring, due to his 250cc riding style) was able to put his four stroke machine on the front row in 3rd
it was a race long battle between the strokers of Barros & Jacque against the 990cc machines of Rossi, Ukawa & Biaggi
everything went well & it looked like the strokers had a big chance of winning the race (for the first time that season) but with just 3 laps to go at the end of the start/finish straight Barros made a mistake under braking, crashed out & took Jacque with him in the gravel trap
game over for the strokers & the last real fighting chance for a 500cc two stroke machine to win a Grand Prix was over
after the German Grand Prix it was on to tracks like Jacarepagua, Brno, Motegi & Sepang, were the horsepower deficit played a bigger role than the agility of the leaner two stroke machines
never again would a 500cc two stroke win a Grand Prix
leaning in …
Olivier Jacque, Chesterfield Tech3-Yamaha YZR250, 1999 FIM 250cc World Championship
dream team …
Olivier Jacque & Shinya Nakano, Chesterfield Tech3-Yamaha YZR250, 1999 FIM 250cc World Championship
