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The team was founded by ex-racer Hervé Poncharal, engineer Guy Coulon and Bernard Martignac and started racing in 1990 in the 250 cc class, using Honda and Suzuki motorcycles. In 1999, the team partnered with Yamaha for the factory team and in 2000 their riders, Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano, placed first and second in the 250 world championship. In 2001 the team moved the whole operation to the premier class, again with Yamaha, Jacque and Nakano on the YZR500, though their status changed to that of satellite team through to the present. Towards the end of the 2002 season, the team was given use of the YZR-M1. In 2006 and 2007 the team used Dunlop tires, but returned to Michelin in 2008. In the 2008 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, the two-time and reigning Superbike World Champion champion James Toseland partnered with the two-time Superbike World Champion champion Colin Edwards. For 2010, Ben Spies replaced Toseland. Spies finished the season in sixth place while Edwards finished in eleventh place. In the new Moto2 category, Tech 3 rider Yuki Takahashi finished the season in twelfth place while Raffaele de Rosa finished 27th, aboard Honda-powered bikes using a Tech 3 chassis. For 2011, Spies moved to the factory Yamaha team, and was being replaced by Cal Crutchlow; the team again retained Colin Edwards for a fourth season. For 2012, Crutchlow moves into the second year of his two year deal, while Edwards announced that he was leaving for the Forward Racing team. Bradley Smith signed a deal to ride for the team in MotoGP in 2013 and 2014, but will remain in Moto2 with the team for a second year, in 2012. |