He was special. His battles with Shinya Nakano are part of history, but Olivier Jacque is still too often forgotten when talking about the drivers who made us vibrate. A look back at the most beautiful letters he wrote.
It is difficult to describe a pilot of this type. Let's say that some motorcycle riders win races with style: “OJ” ran in style all his life, no matter the result.
First for his 250CC title in 2000: It was decided at the last race of the season, at Philip Island. Remember: Jacque is behind his teammate Shinya Nakano after a hard race. Both Tech-3 riders take their Yamaha YZR250s to the limit, and on the final lap, the voltage is at maximum.
Olivier Jacque is a pure Tech-3 product: he stayed there from 1995 to 2003. Here in 125CC, in Japan 1996. Photo: Rikita
The Japanese emerges in the lead from the last left turn, but Jacque favors the exit: on the slipstream, head in the bubble, he comes to collect his title on the line, for 0.014 seconds! France in the firmament. This historic crown has remained in everyone's memory, and thus the legend 'Jacque Attack' was confirmed.
Arriving in the premier category, still with Yamaha Tech-3, he acclimatized quite quickly to the category. Always on the attack, he fell a lot, but found a way to achieve a good fifth place in Great Britain. In 2002, he raced on a YZR500 two-stroke while the big names had moved to the 990CC four-stroke. After a checkered start to the season, the German Grand Prix arrives at the Sachsenring. Jacque is very comfortable, and shocks by taking pole position in front of all the big names in the category!
Jacque was this eternal outsider, the one that no one expects. The one who makes us get up from our seats. On Sunday, he transcends himself. He plays in the big leagues, battling with the best drivers in the world, but while he was leading the race, ahead of Rossi, Ukawa, Biaggi and other Checa, Alex Barros, then second, attempts an impossible overtake on the inside at the first corner, loses the front and takes Jacque on board.
Even though he fell, he made us proud that day. A Frenchie, with a motorcycle that reached 10 km/h on the short straight of the pits, had stood up to the biggest guys, in a French team. Jacque had lost the race, but gained everyone's respect.
The 2003 season comes, with a good performance on the Bugatti circuit, “at home” (fourth) and a few other fourth and fifth places gleaned here and there. But the lack of consistency will push him out of MotoGP, and he finds himself without handlebars for 2004. He does two races for Moriwaki, tests without great results and then leaves.
But we're talking about OJ! It can't end like this! Alex Hoffman has struggled for three years with his Kawasaki ZX-RR, achieving no notable results. Injured, a replacement is needed. Kawasaki, who knows the potential of the Frenchman, calls Jacque for two grand prix: in China and in France.
Without knowing the bike too much, by discovering the Bridgestone tires as well as the Shanghai circuit, “Jacque Attack” achieved the race of his life under an impressive flood. He finished second, behind Valentino Rossi but after having passed Gibernau and others, driving on much superior machines.. Always modest and humble, he recognizes that “The Doctor” was the strongest.
Jacque represented panache, desire, nerve. French-style. That was it, a driver that statistics don't describe, but a driver that we all held very high in our hearts.
Today, who can say that he didn't love Olivier Jacque. Always 100%, who never gives up, who is capable of feats like average races. Jacque put a smile on our faces at least once, an excited laugh, saying to himself: “Isn’t he going to do that?” And that’s worth all the trophies in the world.
