Olivier Jacque


Olivier Jacque is a French former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.

Career

He was second in the 250cc European Championship in 1994, before moving on to the 250cc World Championship. He achieved a top ten finish in the points standings every year he competed. In 2000 he had a season-long battle for the championship with Tech 3 teammate Shinya Nakano and Daijiro Kato, ultimately winning the 250cc Motorcycle World Champion on a Yamaha YZR250.
For 2001, he moved up to the 500cc class with the Tech 3 team. He spent three years in them, before starting 2004 without a ride. He made one appearance on a Moriwaki bike, but again was without a ride as 2005 started. He stepped in for the injured Alex Hofmann in China and stunned the series regulars by finishing 2nd to Valentino Rossi on the factory Kawasaki. He was then permanently hired by Kawasaki as an occasional extra race rider. He did not race for them in 2006, but was chosen for 2007 alongside countryman Randy de Puniet, replacing Nakano. Sete Gibernau was later revealed to have rejected the ride before Jacque was offered it.
However, the season was a disaster. At Istanbul he triggered a four-bike collision, missing his braking point into a corner on lap 1 and hitting Colin Edwards, with Dani Pedrosa and Chris Vermeulen also getting caught up. In the next round in Shanghai he crashed in practice, gashing his arm severely enough to be unable to race there or at Le Mans. He again crashed in practice at Barcelona, missing this race too.
Following the series of injuries, Olivier announced his retirement from MotoGP in June 2007. He remains as development rider and technical advisor for Kawasaki Racing Team.

Commitment

Olivier Jacque is today a member of the ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based international organization.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

YearClassBike123456789101112131415161718PosPts
1995250ccHondaAUS
Ret		MAL
10		JPN
Ret		SPA
12		GER
11		ITA
16		NED
Ret		FRA
9		GBR
4		CZE
14		BRA
7		ARG
4		EUR
9		10th66
1996250ccHondaMAL
4		INA
8		JPN
4		SPA
7		ITA
4		FRA
Ret		NED
Ret		GER
2		GBR
3		AUT
Ret		CZE
2		IMO
2		CAT
2		BRA
1		AUS
3		3rd193
1997250ccHondaMAL
3		JPN
DNS		SPA
7		ITA
5		AUT
1		FRA
Ret		NED
Ret		IMO
2		GER
2		BRA
1		GBR
4		CZE
2		CAT
6		INA
3		AUS
3		4th201
1998250ccHondaJPN
5		MAL
3		SPA
3		ITA
Ret		FRA
4		MAD
Ret		NED
Ret		GBRGERCZE
Ret		IMO
5		CAT
4		AUS
3		ARG
3		5th112
1999250ccYamahaMAL
4		JPN
Ret		SPA
DNS		FRAITACATNEDGBRGER
8		CZE
5		IMO
3		VAL
Ret		AUS
2		RSA
3		BRA
4		ARG
1		7th122
2000250ccYamahaRSA
4		MAL
2		JPN
4		SPA
4		FRA
3		ITA
2		CAT
1		NED
2		GBR
2		GER
1		CZE
3		POR
2		VAL
2		BRA
Ret		PAC
4		AUS
1		1st279
2001500ccYamahaJPN
Ret		RSA
16		SPA
DNS		FRA
DNQ		ITACAT
12		NED
11		GBR
9		GER
6		CZE
12		POR
8		VAL
5		PAC
Ret		AUS
6		MAL
Ret		BRA
Ret		15th59
2002MotoGPYamahaJPN
Ret		RSA
6		SPA
11		FRA
Ret		ITA
9		CAT
9		NED
14		GBR
5		GER
Ret		CZE
10		POR
Ret		BRA
7		PAC
7		MAL
Ret		AUS
8		VAL
9		10th81
2003MotoGPYamahaJPN
15		RSA
10		SPA
10		FRA
4		ITA
10		CAT
Ret		NED
5		GBR
Ret		GER
9		CZE
11		POR
13		BRA
Ret		PAC
13		MAL
DNS		AUS
6		VAL
Ret		12th71
2004MotoGPMoriwakiRSASPAFRAITACATNEDBRAGERGBRCZEPORJPN
11		QATMALAUSVAL
Ret		24th5
2005MotoGPKawasakiESPPORCHN
2		FRA
11		ITACATNEDUSAGBRGER
Ret		CZEJPNMAL
Ret		QAT
DNS		AUS
16		TUR
13		VAL17th28
2007MotoGPKawasakiQAT
12		SPA
18		TUR
Ret		CHN
DNS		FRAITA
16		CAT
DNS		GBRNEDGERUSACZERSMPORJPNAUSMALVAL23rd4