In 2010 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 will carry an all-American flavour with the Texan duo of Colin Edwards and new recruit Ben Spies running the distinctive black and yellow YZR-M1s. Three MotoGP podiums in the last two years saw the French squad push back up the grid and into contention for top prizes. They also became an integral part in Yamaha’s MotoGP racing programme and with the acquisition of World Superbike Champion Spies for ’10 a strong companion to the Fiat Yamaha unit.

2009 was the 20th anniversary for the team and in that time they have made a sizeable impression in the MotoGP paddock. Originally supporting 250cc racer Dominique Sarron it was the presence of another Gallic quarter-litre racer in the form of Olivier Jacque that really pushed their profile onto the next level.

The 2000 250cc world championship saw the Yamaha team’s two riders, Jacque and Shinya Nakano, go head-to-head for the title in an entertaining campaign. The fraction of a second that split the pair of YZR250s at Phillip Island at the finish line on the last lap of the final round decided the crown and remains still the closest climax ever to a championship dispute.

From 2001 Tech3 have been plying their trade in the premier class and their first MotoGP podium arrived in that season when Nakano managed third position on the YZR500 in Germany. From 2002 on the French team have been racing Yamaha’s MotoGP four-stroke machinery.

Their maiden silverware with the M1 was gained thanks to Alex Barros in 2003 and they have moved through a number of riders since then including the likes of the late Norick Abe, Marco Melandri, Carlos Checa, James Ellison, Sylvain Guintoli and James Toseland. 2008 saw a big change for the team as they moved back to Michelin from several years running Dunlop rubber and also had another completely new rider line-up with Colin Edwards bringing his three years of YZR-M1 experience to the fold and Toseland providing a much needed representation for Great Britain in MotoGP. With two former double world superbike champions running the blue and yellow colours in 2008 Tech 3 had arguably their strongest year since 2002. Edwards gained pole position and a podium result at the team’s home event at Le Mans while Toseland’s sturdy debut season meant both riders finished in the top eleven in the standings and helped the squad to fourth place in the Team’s Classification, ahead of two other factory efforts.

2009 saw Edwards again continue his consistency, even with the use of the Bridgestone controlled tyre for the first time. Toseland’s misfortunes in pre-season testing did not help the Briton begin the season on the right foot and the rest of the campaign was a tough haul. Edwards ended the year with 5th in the championship and no sign of his 35 years slowing his race pace.

The crew, based in Bormes Les Mimosas in the south of France, employs more than 20 people and recently cemented their strengthened ties with the factory by signing a deal to field YZR-M1 machinery until 2011. In 2010 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 will also be present in the new Moto2 category with Raffaele de Rosa and Yuki Takahashi.