Jean-Louis Tournadre
Jean -Louis Tournadre ( born November 17, 1958 in Clermont- Ferrand, Puy-de -Dôme, France ) is a French former motorcycle racer.
In the 1982 season he won on Yamaha TZ 250 the world title in the 250 cc class of the Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first French world champion in the history of the FIM Road Racing World Championship.
- 3.1 External links
- 3.2 Notes and references
Career
Jean -Louis Tournadre debuted in 1980 at the Grand Prix of Great Britain in the 350 cc class at Bimota in the Motorcycle World Championship, contested this year, but only a total of three Grands Prix.
As of the 1981 season, the Frenchman then began to Yamaha permanently in the 250cc class. At the last race of the season, the Grand Prix of Czechoslovakia in Brno he could celebrate with his first podium finish in third place. With 37 points Tournadre achieved seventh place overall.
The 1982 season was by far the best in Tournadres career. At his home race at Nogaro his many accomplishments at the absence of Toni Mang and Carlos Lavado, because of their opinion boycotted the race to dangerous route, the only Grand Prix victory of his career. In the overall standings of the quarter-liter class, he sat down by a single point against his toughest adversaries, the Germans Toni Mang by, who had after all won five races this season. Crucial to Jean- Louis Tournadres success was mainly his consistency. From twelve races he finished on the podium eight, always reaching the points difference and not a single try. His worst result ever was a seventh place at the Grand Prix of Finland.
Also in 1983 launched Tournadre continue for Yamaha in the 250 cc class. On 19 March 1983 the Grand Prix of South Africa, but he was injured in a fall so hard that he could deny no more races for a few months.
In the 1986 season, the Frenchman tried to turn on Yamaha to take again in the championship distance. However, he could get a single point and therefore decided to hang his helmet on the nail and to retire from motorcycle racing.