Tech 3 confirms 500cc move.

After dominating the 2000 season, clinching first and second in the MotoGP 250 championship at the hands of Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano respectively, the Tech 3 Yamaha team is now set to take on the big guns in the premier 500 class with the support of the French tobacco brand Gauloises.

The announcement of the Tech 3 Yamaha and Gauloises two-year partnership came during a press conference held at Monaco, France, and puts the Tech 3 team in the prime position to face their new challenge.

Gauloises went on to add that that since stepping back from the Formula 1 Championship it has provided the opportunity to increase the marques commitment in the MotoGP championship, hence the union with a French team and a French world champion.

"It is perfect," said Gauloises Yamaha Team Manager Herev? Poncharal. "We now have the riders, the bikes and the support we need. Sure it will be a tough year with both riders and the team new to the class, but this is evolution. We won the 250 world championship and now it's time to move into the 500s."

"There will be a lot to learn for everyone with the new bikes, but I'm confident that we are more than capable of making an impression because the whole team works as one." Poncharal explained, "We work as a unit and that is very special because we develop together. And as the partnership with Gauloises is for two years we do not have the pressure to perform to the extent as we did last year, even though we will not be in it to play second fiddle."

During the presentation the team's 2001 Gauloises liveried YZR500 made its impressive press debut through an array of lights and sound, and will turn a wheel for the first time at a Yamaha exclusive pre-season test, to be held at Sepang, Malaysia, later this month. This will be followed by the Jerez, Spain, IRTA test two weeks later, before the season fires up at Suzuka, Japan on April 8.

"I'm happy that Gauloises has joined the team for the next two seasons," said Jacque, "now we can get down to business because it will be very busy from here. I've ridden a 2000 YZR500 and it is not too different from the 250 in the corners. Yes, sure the braking is harder, more weight to stop and the higher entry speed, but it is amazing in acceleration. It will take time to come to terms with how fast it is off the turns and how to maximize tyre life, but I am looking forward to it."

Nakano agreed with Jacque's assessment of the factory 500 and went on to say: "I am very happy with French team, French sponsor, French culture and French food. I've wanted to always ride a 500 and I like to work with Olivier as we are very good friends, which is our strong point compared to may other teams. It makes testing easier because we share information, and it will help us come to terms with the bikes much faster.

"It will help me reach my target for this year which is to get points at all 16 rounds of the championship, although it would be nice to win a few too. Then the only thing left for me would be to win the championship, oh, and to learn French," Nakano concluded.