Jean-Claude Olivier
Jean-Claude Olivier (born February 27, 1945 in Croix ; † January 12, 2013 in Wancourt ) was a French motorcycle racer and long-time president of Yamaha Motor France .
Career
Olivier was born in Croix in northern France to the racing driver and boat builder Gonzague Olivier . After attending school and doing military service, he found a job in 1965 with the French Yamaha importer Sonauto . Commissioned by the company to set up a Yamaha dealer network in France, Olivier drove through France in a van and four Yamaha machines. The French actress Brigitte Bardot served him as an advertising icon at times . At the end of the year, 117 machines had already been sold.
In 1966 he found his way into European motorcycle racing. Olivier promoted the Yamaha motorcycles imported by Sonauto in road and off- road competitions. He soon gained a reputation as a good motocross and enduro rider.
In 1979 Olivier took part in the first ever Dakar Rally on a Yamaha XT 500 . The rally ended for him in a fall. In the following years Olivier developed the Yamaha factory machines with his own technical department. In 1981 Olivier became the manager of the Yamaha France Dakar team at the Dakar Rally. In 1983 he took part in the rally again on a Yamaha XT 600 . Aside from rally competitions, Olivier introduced the Sonauto team to the Grand Prix series. In 1985 Olivier finished second behind Gaston Rahier in the Dakar Rally .
In 1985 Olivier took part in the Pharaohs rally with a Yamaha FZT 750 built especially for him . After jumping, the frame of this machine broke and Olivier suffered several fractures in the subsequent fall. However, Olivier was not discouraged and in 1986 he took part in the Paris Dakar Rally again. The rally was overshadowed by the death of his friend Thierry Sabine . In 1987 Olivier took part in the rally again with a Yamaha FZT 920 ; there was still no victory. From that year he was a sponsor of Stéphane Peterhansel : A deep friendship developed between the two men.
In 1988, Yamaha entered the rally with three works teams. Olivier with start number 80 was able to win the Enduro World Champion André Malherbe for the competition . Malherbe had a serious accident during the rally and broke his neck, which led to paraplegia. Olivier, driving behind him, was the first to reach the scene of the accident and ventilated Malherbe. To signal the rescue helicopter about the scene of the accident, he set fire to its machine. Olivier drove the rally to an end only at Malherbe's express request.
In 1991 he led Peterhansel on a Yamaha to victory at the Paris Dakar Rally. In 1992 Olivier became president of the French team Yamaha Motor France after the Japanese broke up with Sonauto. In 1995 Olivier took part in his last Paris Dakar rally. The rally ended for him after a fall and further broken bones. In 1998 Peterhansel won again on a Yamaha for Olivier's French team. Then he said goodbye to this scene. In 2004 there was a short guest appearance with the enduro rider David Frétigné on a Yamaha WR 450 . In 2008, Olivier had a serious accident while paragliding and sustained serious injuries on his right hand. In 2010 he retired at the age of 65.
On January 12, 2013, Olivier was involved in a traffic accident near Paris . An oncoming truck broke through the guardrail and skidded into the oncoming lane, hitting Olivier's car head-on. Olivier died instantly. The daughter he was traveling with suffered minor injuries.
literature
- Lothar Kutschera: Monsieur Yamaha in Motorrad Classic, issue 5/2013, pp. 62–67.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Annika Kläsner: "A man from the very beginning ". motorsport-magazin.de, January 15, 2013, accessed on July 18, 2013 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Olivier, Jean-Claude |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French motorcycle racer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 27, 1945 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Croix (north) |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 12, 2013 |
| Place of death | Wancourt |