Barros gets 'factory' Tech 3 ride, Nakano out.

Former West Honda Pons rider Alex Barros, who won yesterday's season ending Valencia Grand Prix, has signed for the Gauloises Yamaha Team to ride a full factory backed M1.

Barros, the star of the latter part of the 2002 season since getting a Honda RCV, had been a possible for the factory Fortuna outfit - but his new deal means that he will have the best Yamaha has to offer in 2003, with the Gauloises Tech 3 Team benefiting from the full technical support of the factory - something that HRC couldn't offer.

The MotoGP veteran turned down firm offers from Kawasaki and West Honda Pons, amongst others, to take the Yamaha deal.

Team Boss Herve Poncharal couldn't hide his delight at signing the double 2002 GP winner. "Alex Barros has been incredible this season and I am sure that he'll fit in well with our team and adapt quickly to the M1," grinned Herve.

"The Gauloises Yamaha Team has made an excellent new signing in Barros," added Mr Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing. "He has had an incredible end to this season and we are sure that his experience will benefit the team enormously."

Tech 3's long-term French rider, and 2000 season 250cc World Champion, Olivier Jacque, will ride alongside Barros with current rider Shinya Nakano losing his seat to the Brazilian.

"I think that Olivier will adapt well to the bike with a full winter test programme and will be running up front where he belongs from the beginning of next season," stated Poncharal.

"We are confident that Olivier Jacque will continue to develop on the M1 and show some of the aggressive, race-winning form that we know he's capable of," added Jarvis.

Hiroshi Oosumi, General Manager, Yamaha Motorsports Engineering Division, hinted that although there was no seat for Shinya Nakano or Norick Abe at present, the pair may face a fight for the final M1.

"Yamaha is considering the possibility of an additional entry in the 2003 MotoGP championship with a satellite team, although this will depend on a number of factors due to be confirmed shortly," revealed Oosumi.