EXHIBITIONS

« Star motorcycles and scooters! » with MOTObyCAT : The Show organizers with the help of the FFVE (the French Federation of Vintage Vehicles) will present a rare display of about sixty exceptional models, sublimed thanks to special lighting effects Pavilion 8. Most manufacturers have chosen to present the 5 legendary motorcycles which have left a mark on their History. Therefore you will be able to admire the Fat Boy Harley-Davidson, the Honda Monkey, the Yamaha XT 500, the Susuki RE5 Rotary, the Kawasaki W1 650, the BMW R100GS Paris-Dakar (1^st with Hubert Auriol), the Ducati Elite 200, and also the 103 Peugeot, the Piaggio CIAO, the Norton Commando, the Triumph Bonneville, Motobécane’s “Blue” motorized bicycle, the Mammuth (Munch)… Overall 64 models to be discovered or rediscovered!

1961 …… 2011

50th anniversary of Yamaha’s first participation

In a road racing World Championship Grand Prix

2011 is a symbolic year for Yamaha which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first participation in the road racing World Championship. To relate the whole story would take too long but a summary of each of these competition years is in order.

1961 FIRST START IN GRAND PRIX

On May 21 1961, Fumio Ito starts the French Grand Prix 125 riding his RA41, but he is forced to forfeit from the race. On the other hand, he finishes eighth with his 250 RD48. It is the first time a Yamaha motorcycle crosses the finish line in a road racing Grand Prix World Championship. In June, Fumio Ito places eleventh at the Tourist Trophy 125, then gets the first point for Yamaha in the World Championship when he finishes sixth at the Tourist Trophy 250. Ranked sixth at the Dutch Grand Prix, fifth in Belgium and fourth in Argentina, Fumio Ito finishes ninth overall in the 250 cc class.

The fabulous story of Yamaha and the GP is launched.

1962/1963 FIRST VICTORY IN 250

Fumio Ito does not take part in the World Championship of 1962, but develops the 250 RD56 with which he places third at the First Suzuka All Japan Road Race in November. In April 1963 Ito wins the 250 miles race in Daytona and immediately afterwards the Malaysian GP 250. The results are promising. So Fumio Ito and Yamaha reconsider participating once again in the World Championship 250 with the RD56.  After two second places at the Isle of Man and Assen, recognition comes in Belgium on July 7 1963. The duo gives its first victory to Yamaha in Grand Prix. Ito and the RD56 win after nine laps (127,080 km/h) of the Spa Francorchamps circuit with an average speed of 185,858 km/h. With the fastest lap in 4 mn 27 sec 7 and the impressive average speed of 189,612 km/h, Fumio Ito finishes third overall thanks to his other results of the season. The British Phil Read who was entrusted by Yamaha with a RD56 for the Japanese Grand Prix places tenth of this Championship.

1964 FIRST WORLD TITLE IN 250

Phil Read, now the official Yamaha rider in 250, wins six GPs out of the eleven races of the season.  To award the title, only the six best results are taken into account therefore he becomes World Champion in his 250 cc class with the RD56. It is the first individual World title for Yamaha which also wins the Manufacturers World Championship in 250.

1965 SECOND WORLD TITLE IN 250

During the 1965 season, Phil Read, still riding a Yamaha RD56, then a RD05, crushes the competition in the 250cc class, winning seven races and finishing second twice. There are thirteen races on the calendar but only the seven best results are considered for the final ranking. Read is crowned World Champion 250 for the second time and also wins the Tourist Trophy in the 125 cc class with a Yamaha RA97. The Canadian Mike Duff finishes second with a Yamaha RD56.

1966 VICE-CHAMPION IN 125 AND 250

Five times at the second place and once at the third, Phil Read finishes Vice-Champion of the World 250 behind Mike Hailwood. During that season, one must point out the victory at the Japanese Grand Prix of Hiroschi Hasegawa who finishes before Phil Read. Bill Ivy races for the Yamaha team works, wins four GP and becomes Vice-Champion of the World in the 125 cc class.

1967 VICE-CHAMPION IN 250 AND WORLD CHAMPION IN 125

For the 250 Championship Read can use the new Yamaha RD05A, as can his team mate Bill Ivy. Their number one rival is Mike Hailwood (Honda). Read wins five Grand Prix and finishes the French GP second behind Ivy. With 50 points Read and Hailwood have the same total number of points at the end of the season. With six victories, unfortunately for Yamaha one more than Read, Hailwood wins the World Championship.  If Ivy had let Read overtake him in France… On the other hand, Bill Ivy wins the 125 Championship riding his RA31A and preceding Phil Read and places third in 250. Eight victories in the 125cc class and two in 250 enrich his personal record.

1968 WORLD CHAMPION 125 and 250

Their four-cylinder 125 and 250 machines show such a supremacy that Yamaha decides to « assign » the titles. Read will be Champion in 125 and Ivy in 250. Ivy accepts the « orders », but Read, who knows Yamaha is withdrawing from the World Championship the following year, ignores them. At the last Grand Prix in Italy, Read who « must » let Ivy overtake him, doesn’t do it and wins the race. Phil Read is aware that with this victory he has the same number of points as Ivy. The federation must add up the times of the four races the two riders finished to decide who the winner is. For 2 minutes 25 seconds and 3 tenths Read is the World Champion of the 250 cc class.

1969 VICE-CHAMPION 250

The two Yamaha and Honda factories withdraw from the World Championship because of the change of rules which limits the number of cylinders on their machines to two in 125 cc and 250 cc classes and to four in 350 and 500. The best part is given to the « privateers » and their motorcycles called « customers-competition ». The first of them is the TD-1 250 followed by the TR2 350, TD-2, TR2B, TD-3, lTR3, then by the famous « customers-compete » TZ. Kent Andersson is Vice-Champion 250. The Swedish Börje Jansson places fifth before Rodney Gould, both also with Yamaha.

1970 WORLD CHAMPION 250

Thirty 250 Yamahas take part in the World Championship. With six victories, Rodney Gould wins the title. He precedes Kel Carruthers. The podium is completed by Kent Andersson who only wins one Grand Prix but is seven times on the podium. In the 350 cc class, the best result is Kel Carruthers’s with a superb second place, obtained without any Grand Prix victory, but who was regularly on the podium.

1971 PHIL READ WINS THE 250 TITLE, SAARINEN VICE-CHAMPION IN 350

The majority of the line-up includes Yamaha riders. Absent in the previous Championship, Phil Read comes back to take part in the Continental Circus with a machine equipped with a Cheney frame, a Yamaha TD2 engine prepared by Helmut Fath and disc brakes, a premiere ! Phil Read takes everyone by surprise when he wins the 250 title in 1971. He precedes Gould and Jarno Saarinen who finished fourth in 1970. Saarinen is Vice-Champion of the World in the 350 cc class with four podiums including two on the highest step.

1972 SAARINEN WORLD CHAMPION 250 AND VICE-CHAMPION 350

The 1972 season includes thirteen Grand Prix for the two classes 250 and 350. The competition is formidable in 250 with Phil Read, Renzo Pasolini, Rodney Gould, and also Dieter Braun and Hideo Kanaya. With some fantastic races, Jarno Saarinen, whose nickname is « The Flying Finnish », wins the title before Pasolini by one point. In the 350 cc class, Giacomo Agostini, Pasolini and Phil Read are his main opponents. With three Grand Prix victories, Jarno finishes Vice-Champion of the World just behind Giacomo Agostini and before « Paso ». In the 125 cc class, Kent Andersson is Vice-Champion of the World behind Angel Nieto and before Chas Mortimer, also with Yamaha. In the 500 cc class, the Swiss Bruno Kneubülher, regularly among the first riders, places third before Rodney Gould, fourth.

1973 JARNO SAARINEN DIES IN MONZA – WORLD CHAMPION IN 125

The 1973 season seemed promising. Before it had even begun, Jarno Saarinen accomplished an amazing feat when he won the 200 miles Daytona race with his 350 Yamaha against the super powerful 750. Jarno who competed in the 250 and 500 showed his ambitions when he won the first two GPs in France and Austria plus the 250 race in West Germany. The next race was scheduled May 20 in Monza, Italy.

The 250 start off. Pasolini enters the « Curva Grande », a curb where the speed is over 200 km/h, and falls like Jarno Saarinen. All the other riders who arrive behind them are unable to avoid the debris of the accident left on the track and some of them also fall. Some machines burn up. Fifteen riders are aground. Pasolini and Jarno Saarinen have just passed away. Saarinen was 28. Yamaha is in mourning and withdraws from the World Championships.

In 125, Kent Andersson and his two-cylinder Yamaha, with five victories and two second places, becomes World Champion. He finishes before Chas Mortimer who is also running for Yamaha. In the 250 cc class, Dieter Braun wins the title with his private Yamaha before Teuvo Länsivuor, also Vice-Champion of the World in the 350.

1974 KENT ANDERSSON WORLD CHAMPION IN 125

Kent Andersson is World Champion again in the 125 class with five more victories. Bruno Kneubülher is Vice Champion. In 250, seven Yamaha finishes in the top eight but unfortunately not in the first place. Walter Willa with his Harley Davidson wins the title, followed by Dieter Braun and Patrick Pons. On the other hand, the six first places in 350 are for Yamaha. Giacomo Agostini takes the title, his fourteenth, but the first one with the Japanese team. He finishes before Braun, Pons, Dodds, Mortimer and Länsivuori. In the top category (500 cc) Länsivuori’s Yamaha places third overall before Agostini.

1975 CECOTTO WORLD CHAMPION IN 350. « AGO » CHAMPION IN 500.

Yamaha places third and fourth in the 125cc class Championships with Kent Andersson et Leif Gustafsson, like in 250 with Dieter Braun and Johnny Cecotto who takes part in the World Championships with an imported Venezuelan Yamaha. Winner of four GP 350 out of ten organized, he wins the World Championship, Agostini is second. Johnny Cecotto, only 19, becomes the youngest World Champion in 350. In 500 Agostini and his Yamaha must face a hard competition. During the entire season, « Ago » must be at the top to win again… and for the last time he gets the title in the 500 cc class, his fifteenth. Yamaha Motor Company announces his withdrawal from the World Championships (cross, trial, road racing) but he stays in the business through the involvement of some importers.

1976 VICE-CHAMPION OF THE WORLD IN 250 AND 350

With only nine victories in these three categories Yamaha does not win a World title that year. But two new titles of Vice-Champion, thanks to Takazumi Katayama in 250 and Johnny Cecotto in 350, complete Yamaha’s records.

1977 WORLD CHAMPION IN 350 AND VICE-CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

The majority of the line-up is still represented by Yamaha in the 250 and 350 classes. In the first, Katayama reaches the fourth World rank before Herron, Ballington, North and Ekerold. Many French riders take part in this World Championship, Patrick Fernandez, Olivier Chevalier, Christian Sarron, Guy Bertin, Eric Saul for example. In 350, Katayama who manages to impose his Yamaha before Tom Herron’s and Jon Ekerold’s becomes the first Japanese World Champion of the category. Michel Rougerie, also with a Yamaha, finishes at the bottom of the podium. Kork Ballington is fifth, followed by Olivier Chevalier, Patrick Fernandez and Christian Sarron, all of them with Yamaha. In the top category the Canadian Steve Baker is Vice-Champion of the World, just behind the unforgettable Barry Sheene with Suzuki. Johnny Cecotto places fourth.

1978 KENNY ROBERTS WORLD CHAMPION 500

Good performances achieved in 250 by the French Patrick Fernandez who reaches the third step of the podium. Patrick finishes in front of Kenny Roberts, another famous Yamaha pilot. Before the start of the Grand Prix season Roberts won for the first time in Daytona. For the World Championships, Kenny is competing in both 250 and 350. In 250, after a first place in Venezuela and a second in Spain, he experiences two pointless results before a new victory at the GP of the Nations… and his decision to stop competing in the 250 Championship. The reason is simple: Kenny Roberts prefers to concentrate on the 500. He is the leader of the competition with three victories and one second place in five races. Two other second places, one third and one victory in the remaining races allow Roberts to win the World title for his first season in 500cc class. In 350, Katayama is Vice-Champion of the World with two victories.

1979 KENNY ROBERTS WORLD CHAMPION 500

Roberts gets his second World crown with six victories out of the twelve Grand Prix. With his Yamaha YZR 500 OW45 and facing a thirty-three Suzuki pack he wins his second title in a row. In 250 the first Yamaha places fourth overall, thanks to Randy Mamola, with only one point ahead Patrick Fernandez. But the French gets his sweet revenge when he becomes Vice-Champion of the World in 350 with a superb victory in the French Grand Prix in Le Mans as a bonus. This season is also enlightened by the exploit of Patrick Pons, another Frenchman. In the « 750 Formula » as named by the International Motorcycling Federation, he dominates Michel Frutschi and Johnny Cecotto and becomes the first French World Champion in a mechanical sport.

1980 KENNY ROBERTS WORLD CHAMPION 500

In the 500 cc class, three is definitely the magic number. This season is a do over of the last two. With four victories out of the eight Grand Prix, Roberts’s third World title in a row is a true feat. In 250 Yamaha’s colours shine bright thanks to Thierry Espié and Carlos Lavado, fourth and sixth overall. In 350, Jon Ekerold wins the title with his Bimota engined Yamaha.

Cecotto, the first Yamaha pilot, can’t reach the podium and 1980 will stay the year of Patrick Pons’ death after a fall during the English Grand Prix. The « Petit Prince » with his TZ 500 will not be forgotten in the motorcycle World.

1981 KENNY ROBERTS ON THE PODIUM IN 500

This season, the best ranked Yamaha pilot in 250 is the Venezuelan Carlos Lavado with a fourth place. In the 500 cc class, the best is again the South American Yamaha pilot with a fifth place. The excellent performances of Jon Ekerod and Patrick Fernandez are also remarkable. With their Bomota engined Yamaha they finish Vice-Champion of the World and fourth in this class. In the top category, Kenny Roberts is once again the leader of the team with a third place before the British Barry Sheene, who exceptionally rides a Yamaha.

1982 TOURNADRE WORLD CHAMPION 250

Yamaha wins a new World title thanks to the French Jean-Louis Tournadre. Winner of the French Grand Prix in Nogaro, Tournadre handles his season very well, placing seven times second and third. In the other races, he is always in the points. At the end of the season Jean-Louis Tournadre defeats the German Anton Mang by one point. He is the first French World Champion in the 250cc class.  In 350, The French Eric Saul places fourth with his Yamaha engined Chevalier at the end of a Championship won by Anton Mang. Lavado is fifth, followed by North and Cornu on their Yamaha. In 500, Graeme Crosby is Vice-Champion of the World on a private Yamaha before Freddie Spencer with Honda, Kenny Roberts and Barry Sheene with Yamaha. The World Champion is Franco Ucini with Suzuki.

1983 LAVADO WORLD CHAMPION IN 250 – SARRON VICE-CHAMPION

The 350cc class is stopped. Carlos Lavado focuses on the eleven races of the 250 Championship and crosses the finish line of ten GPs. A true feat for the hot headed Carlos! Lavado is crowned World Champion before Christian Sarron, also with Yamaha. In 500, Kenny Roberts and Freddie Spencer battle during all the season for the title. Two races before the end of the 12 Championship races, they both have the same number of points. Spencer beats Roberts on the finish line by 16 thousandths of a second. In the last race, Roberts wins with Spencer just behind him. Spencer should have finished fourth to leave the title to his rival. Roberts is defeated for two small points and ends his career with this title of Vice-Champion of the World 500. Eddie Lawson is fourth and Marc Fontan, with Sonauto Yamaha, finishes sixth of the Championship.

1984 CHRISTIAN SARRON WORLD CHAMPION IN 250. LAWSON WORLD CHAMPION IN 500

Sarron finishes eight of the twelve Grand Prix and wins three times, is four times on the second step of the podium and once on the third. The Team Sonauto Yamaha and its pilot are World Champions 250. It’s the second World title in two years for a French pilot. In the 500cc class, Eddie Lawson crosses the finish line of all the twelve Grand Prix of the season, is four times on the highest step of the podium and four times on the second. During the whole season, Lawson, to be crowned, must battle hard against his compatriot Randy Mamola, the French Raymond Roche and the other American Freddie Spencer.

1985 LAWSON VICE-CHAMPION IN 500, SARRON 3rd. LAVADO 3rd IN 250

Christian Sarron is now competing in the 500 cc class. Carlos Lavado defends Yamaha’s hopes to be Champion again but the hot headed South American goes back to his old mistakes. Too many falls spoil his season and he finishes on the third step of the podium behind Spencer and Mang. Martin Wimmer with Yamaha is fourth. In 500, Spencer wins the World title with a feat never repeated since. He finishes the competition with an eight point lead on Eddie Lawson and Christian Sarron. On May 19 1985, on the Hockenheim circuit, Sarron won in an unforgettable manner. He started among the last riders, then accomplished a fantastic recovery and finally stole Freddie Spencer’s victory!

1986 LAVADO WORLD CHAMPION 250.  LAWSON WORLD CHAMPION 500

For the 1986 season Carlos Lavado has an official Yamaha YZR250 OW82 to run the twelve Grand Prix on the program. Lavado finishes eight races with a total of 114 points and becomes World Champion 250cc for the second time, with only a six point lead over Sito Pons. Dominique Sarron completes the podium in front of Mana and Balde. Eddie Lawson, the World Champion in 1984, wants to regain the title Spencer stole from him in 1985. To reach his goal, he shows all his master and know-how strategy for every Grand Prix. Ten times out of eleven races on the podium, Lawson wins his second major title. Gardner and his Honda are second, followed by Mamola, Baldwin, McElnea and Christian Sarron, all with Yamaha.

1987 MAMOLA 2nd LAWSON 3rd IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 500

In class 250, this season is not as good as expected by Yamaha. Their first machine places 7th with Luca Cadalora. In 500, Gardner is World Champion in front of Randy Mamola and Eddie Lawson, the two Yamaha pilots with only one point between them overall. Yet, Eddie Lawson has the biggest number of victories during the season but, with five victories against three for Mamola, he must abandon the title of Vice-Champion of the World to his compatriot who showed more regularity.

1988 LAWSON WORLD CHAMPION 500 AND CARRIGA VICE-CHAMPION 250

In 250, the Spanish pilots Sito Pons and Juan Garriga fight nail and tooth to win the title. Finally Sito Pons is the winner with a 10 point lead on Garriga. The French Jean-Philippe Ruggia on a Yamaha places 7th at this World Championship. Eddie Lawson repeats his outstanding season in 500. With seven victories, four second places and one third he gets his third title in five seasons. Gardner is second. Waine Rainey, also with Yamaha, completes the podium in front of two other pilots with the make:  Christian Sarron and Kevin Magee.

1989 RAINEY VICE-CHAMPION 500. SARRON 3rd

Luca Cadalora is once again the best ranked Yamaha pilot in 250 with a fifth place. In 500, Eddie Lawson, who changed his machine, wins another title. During this season, Christian Sarron continues his progression and obtains very good results: second in Sweden, third in Australia and in Belgium, five times fourth. With fourteen times out of fifteen in the points– a first for him in 500 – Christian Sarron places a splendid third with his Yamaha YZR500 OW98, behind Wayne Rainey, also on a Yamaha.

1990 KOCINSKI WORLD CHAMPION 250. RAINEY WORD CHAMPION 500

John Kocinski, « the bad boy», whose bad temper is as big as his talent, gives another title to Yamaha in 250. With seven victories in fifteen GP, five second places, and two third places, he dominates Carlos Cardus and Luca Cadalora also with Yamaha. In 500cc, Wayne Rainey, with seven victories, five second places and two third ones, gets the title he wanted so much. The second Yamaha pilot who is ranked in this Championship is Juan Carriga, sixth. The French Jean-Philippe Ruggia, eighth, precedes his team mate Christian Sarron, seventh.

1991 RAINEY WORLD CHAMPION IN 500cc

In 250cc class, few pilots work with Yamaha because the efforts of the factory are concentrated on the top category. The first ranked with a Yamaha is Paolo Casoli, tenth. Carlos Lavado, at the end of his career, is 14^th and Alberto Puig 16^th. In the 500, Wayne Rainey, John Kocinski, Juan Carriga and Douglas Chandler defend the Yamaha colours like the two French Jean-Philippe Ruggia and Adrien Morillas from the Sonauto Yamaha team. Wayne Rainey wins the title for the second time in a row and adds thirteen podiums to the list of his achievements. During this season which includes fifteen GP, Rainey crosses the arrival line fourteen times in the points. John Kocinski is 14^th and the French Ruggia and Morillas finish respectively 10^th and 12^th. A good performance!

1992 A THIRD WORLD TITLE FOR RAINEY

The program of the season includes thirteen races for the 500cc. With eight podiums, three on the highest step, Wayne Rainey gets his third consecutive title after a splendid competition with Mike Doohan. John Kocinski has his best season in 500 for Yamaha and completes the final podium. Other Yamaha pilots reach the top fifteen: Garriga 7^th, Mamola 10^th, MacKenzie 11^th, and Duhamel, 12^th.

1993 HARADA WORLD CHAMPION 250. TRAGIC ACCIDENT FOR RAINEY

Yamaha comes back officially in the 250 cc class with the Japanese pilot Telsuya Harada who has a very good start with three victories in four races. Harada, who is regularly in the top ten, collects point after point and has a great finish when he wins the last Grand Prix at Jarama. This success gives him the title in front of Capirossi with a four point lead. He was ten points behind before the race! In 500cc, Wayne Rainey has been battling since the beginning of the season with Kevin Schwantz. The struggle is very intense.

In Czech Republic Rainey takes a small advantage on Kevin Schwantz and his Suzuki, but in Misano, he has a terrible crash. He survives but remains hemiplegic. Kevin Schwantz wins the title of World Champion. Rainey is Vice-Champion but the bitterness is huge in the World of motorcycling after witnessing the end of a great rider’s career.

1994 CADALORA VICE-CHAMPION 500

Yamaha returns in 125 but Jorge « Aspar » Martinez finishes only sixth in a class usually dominated by the Japanese. Two other Yamaha pilots are ranked in this Championship: Stefan Prein is 21^st and Yoshiaki Katoh, 26^th. In 250, Harada can’t do better than seventh, because of his injuries and a tobacco problem. Some good news for Yamaha: Kenny Roberts Junior starts in a Grand Prix race and places 18^th. In 500, Mike Doohan, at last recovered from his terrible accident in Assen, wins without difficulty. Lucas Cadalora, the official Yamaha pilot, is Vice-Champion of the World with six podiums (two victories): the first on the American circuit in Laguna Seca and the second at Catalunya in Spain.

1995 HARADA VICE-CHAMPION 250. CADALORA 3rd in 500

With his Yamaha, Harada reaches an impressive series of podiums. One victory in Spain on the circuit of Jerez de la Frontera and eight second places reward his pugnacity. But Massimiliano Biaggi stands in his way and collects the victories. With eight first places in GP out of the thirteen races of the season, the Italian is crowned World Champion before the Japanese who started three times in pole position in Japan, Spain and Catalonia. In 500, Doohan confirms his domination over Daryl Beattie and the Yamaha rider Yamaha Luca Cadalora, winner of the Grand Prix in Czech Republic and Brazil.

1996 ABE WINS THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX IN 500

A disappointing season in 250. Tesuya Harada finishes eighth of the Championship, won once again by Biaggi. In 500, Norifumi Abe, winner of the Japanese Grand Prix, does his best but can’t do better than leading his Yamaha to the fifth place of the Championship. The second rider, ranked with a Yamaha is the French Jean-Michel Bayle who finishes ninth just before Capirossi, with Yamaha too. « JMB » gets his first pole position that season with the YZR500 of the Yamaha Roberts team. A performance which proves that the decision to give up motocross for road racing was more than grounded.

1997 6th AND 7th PLACE IN 500

In 125 and in 250 no remarkable results for Yamaha who focuses its efforts on the 500. Luca Cadalora and Norifumi Abe take the 6th and 7th places of this Championship still under Doohan’s domination. In 13^th position there is another Yamaha driven by Manuel « Sete » Gibernau, the grand-son of Mr Bulto, founder of the motorcycle make, Bultaco.

1998 CRAFAR WINS THE BRITISH 500 GP.

Takeshi Tsujimara, Luis Dantin and Jose Luis Cardoso who drive Yamahas are respectively eighth, tenth and eleventh of the 250 Championship. In 500, Norick Abe finishes fifth of the Championship before another Yamaha rider, Simon Crafar, who achieves a victory in Great Britain. The French Regis Laconi places tenth of the Championship.

1999 FIRST VICTORIES IN GP 250 FOR TECH3

In 250, some hopes of victory in a GP come from the French Tech3 team and its two riders Shinya Nakano and Olivier Jacque. Nakano wins the second GP of the season on the Japanese circuit of Motegi. Then, on May 4th, he takes second place in France on the Castellet circuit. For the eighth GP in Britain, he is again on the podium, at the third place. Jacque, a bit behind his team mate until then, takes his place on the third step in the San Marin GP. He climbs one more step in Australia on the mythical circuit of Phillip Island.

In South Africa, the two Tech3 riders are on the podium. Nakano is second and Jacque third in a race won by Valentino Rossi. It is the eighth victory of the season for Valentino who adds one to his record in Brazil, where the title is played. Olivier Jacque gets his first victory at the Argentinian Grand Prix, the last of the season on the circuit of Buenos Aires, before Ukawa et Rossi. In 500, Yamaha places three pilots in the Top Ten. The newcomer Max Biaggi, who comes from Honda, finishes fourth, Manuel « Sete » Gibernau is fifth and Carlos Checa seventh. Regis Laconi, the French rider, is eleventh after having accomplished a fantastic feat during the season. At the Valence Grand Prix, Regis Laconi, who started in pole position on his Yamaha YZR500 OWK1, crosses the finish line as the winner. Since Sarron in 1985, no Frenchman had ever won a GP 500.

2000, Jacque, Tech3 Team, World Champion 250. Nakano, Tech3 Team, Vice-Champion in 250. Biaggi 3^rd in 500.

Thanks to excellent results at the beginning of the Championship Olivier Jacque recovers his serenity, lost the previous year.  Good results keep coming and he ends up in the battle for the race title against his team mate Shinya Nakano. After fifteen races, nothing is lost and all will be decided during the last GP of the season. The temporary score indicates two points separating Oliver, 254 points, and Shinya, 252. The math is simple, if OJ finishes before Shinya, whatever the place, he is the Champion. But if Shinya finishes third and before OJ, the title is his. Nakano makes pole position in 1’33 »713. Jacque makes second time with 1’34 »182. At first Nakano rushes in first place, followed by Katoh and Jacque. OJ quickly overtakes Katoh and is just behind Shinya. After a few laps, Olivier masters the exit of the double left which precedes the long finishing line, reaches Shinya and slightly cuts. Voluntarily Jacque has just repeated what he had done in the last lap. Nakano enters the double left first; Jacque is just behind him and accelerates a little sooner in the second left and is once again just behind his Japanese opponent. This time he doesn’t cut and overtakes his team mate at the finishing line. Olivier Jacque is World Champion by 14 thousands of a second. “Glory day” has now come for the Yamaha Tech3 team: its riders Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano are World Champion and Vice-Champion in the 250 class, following a splendid season. In 500cc, Massimiliano Biaggi climbs on the third step of the podium. He finishes this Championship behind Kenny Roberts Jr. and Valentino Rossi.

2001 BIAGGI WORLD VICE-CHAMPION 500

In 250cc, Yamaha is ninth in the final ranking with the Japanese rider Matsudo. But for the Japanese make, the priority remains the top 500 class. Max Biaggi, Nakano, Checa, Abe, McCoy, Haga, Jacque and Cardoso are all driving a Yamaha. Max Biaggi as official rider and group leader of the Yamaha riders climbs on the second step of the podium at the end of the season. This World Championship is very much an Italian Championship as Max who precedes Loris Capirossi is defeated by Valentino Rossi. Max Biaggi wins the French GP on the Sarthe circuit (24 hours of Le Mans), the Dutch GP in the Assen “cathedral” and the German GP on the Sachsenring route. Shinya Nakano places fifth, followed by Checa and Abe. McCoy is ranked twelfth, Haga fourteenth and Olivier Jacque, with his YZR500 OWL6, fifteenth just before Cardoso.

2002 BIAGGI MOTOGP WORLD VICE-CHAMPION

The 500cc World Championship becomes the MotoGP. It now accepts motorcycles with four-stroke engines with maximum 990cm3 cylinder.  For this first edition, two-stroke 500cm3 motorcycles can still participate. Therefore two types of fundamentally different machines meet on the grid at the beginning of the season. As the season progresses, the makes progressively equip their satellite team with four-stroke engines.  But this initial diversity produced a few good races.  Four-stroke motorcycles are more powerful, heavier and less reactive in their transitions. Two-stroke motorcycles are lighter and more reactive but their power is delivered more brutally. Thus on some circuits the two-strokes can compete with the four. At the end of the season Rossi precedes Biaggi and his Yamaha M1. The second Yamaha official rider, Carlos Checa places fifth. He precedes the other Yamaha riders on the final score board: Abe, sixth, Jacque, tenth and Nakano, eleventh. Hopkins also with Yamaha finishes fifteenth and Garry Mc Coy twentieth. Cardo is ranked twenty-third and the French Jean- Michel Bayle, twenty-fourth.

2003 Biaggi, 3rd in MotoGP World Championship

For the third year in a row, Valentino Rossi wins the World Championship in 500cc class. He precedes Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi. The first Yamaha rider is Carlos Checa, seventh. The other top ten riders are Barros, ninth, and Nakano, tenth. Olivier Jacque finishes in twelfth place, Melandri fifteenth and Abe sixteenth.

2004 ROSSI MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

Valentino Rossi joins the Yamaha family and to the general surprise imposes the M1 at the first place. For his first season with Yamaha, he wins nine GPs and offers triumph to the make for the first time in MotoGP.

2005 ROSSI MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

Valentino Rossi, his M1 Yamaha and the entire official MotoGP team of the make are rewarded by eleven victories out of seventeen races and five pole positions. Valentino Rossi grabs a fifth crown in 500cc class. It is the second consecration for Yamaha since the arrival of four-stroke motorcycles in 2002.

2006 Rossi Motogp World Vice-Champion

Mighty struggle during the entire season between Rossi, Hayden, Capirossi, Melandri and Pedrosa who all score over two hundred points at the end of the Championship. Suspense is at its maximum right until the end of the last race. Against all odds and with only two victories, Hayden is in the best position to beat Rossi and his Yamaha M1. Demonstrating more regularity during the seventeen GPs of the season, the American is a first-rate outsider for this title, almost entirely assigned to Valentino Rossi by all the tipsters… but as long as the checker flag is up, anything can happen. And something does happen; Valentino Rossi commits a fault, starts off again and finishes thirteenth at this last race. Nicki Hayden on the last step of the podium scores the precious points allowing him to overtake Rossi. Hayden is World Champion with five points ahead. The third, Capirossi, precedes Melandri and Pedrosa. During this season Rossi achieves five pole positions riding his M1.

2007 Rossi 3^RD IN the World Championship 500cc

Valentino Rossi wins four GPs and climbs on the podium four times. Driving his Yamaha M1, the Italian rider battles to win the title of Vice-Champion. But three blank results at the end of the season in Germany, in San Marin and in Spain, do not allow him to fulfill his ambitions and those of the Yamaha team. Stoner is crowned MotoGP World Champion and precedes Dani Pedrosa.

2008 Rossi MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

It is once again Rossi’s year. With nine victories, five second places and two third, “The doctor” climbs on the highest step of the podium and gives another title to Yamaha. Stoner and Pedrosa complete the podium. Jorge Lorenzo, the Spanish rider, finishes at the foot of the podium before Davizioso and Hayden. Colin Edwards from the Yamaha Tech3 team ends up in seventh place.

2009 Rossi MOTOCP WORLD CHAMPION

By winning 6 victories, five second places and a few third places during the seventeen GPs of the 2009 season, Valentino Rossi grabs another World crown. His ninth success is obtained driving a Yamaha M1. Jorge Lorenzo, his team mate in the official Yamaha team, finishes on the second step of the podium with four victories and five second places.  Colin Edwards, the Yamaha Tech3 rider, comes fifth. A great year for the Yamaha family!

2010 LORENZON MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION. ROSSI 3rd.

Rossi begins this new season by a victory in Qatar, followed by a third place in Spain and a second in France. Lorenzo, second in Qatar wins both GPs in Spain and France. Valentino’s main opponent seems to be his team mate Lorenzo. Rossi breaks his leg in Italy and misses the next three GPs. Lorenzo, second in Italy after Pedrosa, then scores the big points with three victories in a row in Great Britain, Netherlands and Spain. Rossi missing, Jorge Lorenzo establishes himself as the World Championship leader. Rossi returns to defend his chances during the eighth GP, but physically diminished, he is helpless against Jorge Lorenzo who skillfully maintains his lead not only on Rossi, but also on Pedrosa and Stoner. Lorenzo brilliantly wins his first MotoGP title. Rossi succeeds in climbing on the third step of the podium. Ben Spies, the 2009 Superbike World Champion and member of the Tech3 Yamaha team, finishes 6^th.

2011 Anniversary of Yamaha’s fifty years in the GP World Championship

The official Yamaha team riders are Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies who replaced Valentino Rossi, gone to take up a new challenge bearing new colors. Colin Edwards and Carl Crutchow are defending the Yamaha colors in the Tech 3 team.

TIMELINE

Yamaha’s road racing GP World Champions

Phil Read 1964, 1965, 1968, 1968, 1971

Bill Ivy 1967

Rodney Gould 1970

Jarno Saarinen 1972

Dieter Braun 1973

Ken Andersson 1973, 1974

Johnny Cecotto 1975

Giacomo Agostini 1974, 1975

Takazumi Katayama 1977

Kenny Roberts 1978, 1979, 1980

Jean Louis Tournadre 1982

Carlos Lavado 1983, 1986

Christian Sarron 1984

Eddie Lawson 1984, 1986, 1988

John Kocinski 1990

Wayne Rainey 1990, 1991, 1992

Tetsuya Harada 1993

Olivier Jacque 2000

Valentino Rossi 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009

Jorg Lorenzo 2010

World titles in 750 cc

Steve Baker 1997 (750)

Johnny Cecotto 1998 (750)

Patrick Pons 1999 (750)

GP victories : 528 victories at the end of 2010

125 cm³ 47  victories

250 cm³ 165   victories

350 cm³ 71   victories*

500 cm³ 120 victories

MotoGP   62 victories

Side cars   8 victories**

750 cm³ 55 victories***

*Including: the five victories of Jon Ekerold Yamaha Bimota in 1980 and 1981 in 350; in 1973 one victory Yamaha Johnson in 250; in 1974 one victory Yamaha Dugdale Maxton in 250; in1981 one victory Yamaha Chevalier in 250; in 1979 one victory Yamaha opstalan and in 1982 three victories Yamaha Chevalier in 350.

** are not included the LCR Yamaha victories, Seymaz Yamaha Windle Yamaha, BEO Yamaha, TTM Yamaha et Schmid Yamaha.

*** including 17 in Formula 750

Rider World titles in 125, 250, 350, 500 et MotoGP : 40 titles

125 cm³ 4 titles

250 cm³ 14 titles

350 cm³ 3 titles

500 cm³ 10 titles

MotoGP   5 titles

Side-Car   1 title

750 cm³ 3 titles

Manufacturers’ World Championships titles in road racing : 37 titles (side cars and 750 not included)

125 cm³ 4 titles

250 cm³ 14 titles

350 cm³ 6 titles

500 cm³ 9 titles

Moto GP   4 titles