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Alex Barros
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Alex Barros
Alexandre Abrahão Coelho de Barros (born October 18, 1970) is a Brazilian former professional motorcycle road racer who is a seven-time 500cc/MotoGP race winner and also a race winner in Superbike World Championship. After a long Grand Prix career, in 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship. He returned to MotoGP for 2007, but retired by the end of the season.
Barros started racing motorcycles at the age of eight, when he won on his debut in the Brazilian minibike championship. In the next two years, he was twice Brazilian moped champion. In 1981, he was the Brazilian 50cc Champion, and in 1985 he won the title of Brazilian's 250cc category. The year of 1986 saw his international début in the 80cc category—he lied about his age so he could race at the Spanish Grand Prix at the age of 15. He finished the championship in sixteenth place, scoring six points. In 1987, he also raced the 80cc championship, finishing seventeenth, scoring eight points.
In 1988, Barros made his first race on the World Championship 250cc category, scoring no points. That same year, he was 3rd in the Latin American circuit of that same class. The next year, he finished 18th in the World Championship, scoring 30 points.
In 1990, Barros was the youngest rider in history to join the top motorcycling category, the 500cc, at the age of 20. In his first year, he was 12th overall, with 57 points. Notable results included eighth in the United States and Germany, and fifth in the Belgium Grand Prix. Two years later, his first podium: a third place in the Netherlands.
The year of 1993 saw his breakthrough as he joined the Suzuki team. After qualifying third in the US Grand Prix, Barros had his first victory in Spain, finishing that year's world championship in sixth place. His teammate Kevin Schwantz was that year's champion. The following year, Barros scored in all but one of the races. 1996 saw his best performance yet, finishing the championship at fourth, a feat he repeated in 2000, 2001 and 2002. His win at Mugello in 2001, was the latest by a rider other than Valentino Rossi until 2009. In 2002, the first of MotoGP (with engine displacement capacity increased to up to 990cc) he scored 204 points and won races at Motegi (the first race where he switched from the NSR500 to RC211V) and Valencia, eleven points behind second place. 2003 was a difficult one for Barros due to injuries, but in 2004, he once again finished the championship in fourth, in a season dominated by Valentino Rossi, Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi. In 2005, Barros returned to the top of the podium in Portugal, however he did not mount a lasting championship challenge, and was not offered a ride for 2006. He returned to MotoGP in 2007, riding a Ducati GP7 for Pramac d'Antin. In pre-season testing he matched the factory Ducatis, and at midseason he was ahead of the factory rider Loris Capirossi. He came third at Mugello (ahead of Stoner) and fourth at Istanbul Park.
For 2006, Barros was hired by the Klaffi Honda team in the Superbike World Championship (WSBK), paying around £100,000 of his own money to fund the ride. After a satisfactory debut weekend with two top-ten finishes, he took a pair of podium finishes at Round 2 in Phillip Island, and a second and a fourth in round four at Monza. At Brands Hatch, he failed to qualify for Superpole, but bounced back from 18th on the grid to take a pair of top-ten finishes. The wet meeting at Assen was a disappointment for Barros, especially as he is a wet-weather expert.
Barros' season was characterised by poor starts, but despite this, he ended the season as the second highest Honda rider in the championship in sixth place, behind former champion James Toseland. At Imola, he took his only WSBK win, and followed it with a second place in race 2.
After retiring from Motogp, Barros is still actively racing. He is still competitive and has won several victories in the Brazilian SuperBike Championship.
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Alex Barros
Alexandre Abrahão Coelho de Barros (born October 18, 1970) is a Brazilian former professional motorcycle road racer who is a seven-time 500cc/MotoGP race winner and also a race winner in Superbike World Championship. After a long Grand Prix career, in 2006 he moved to the Superbike World Championship. He returned to MotoGP for 2007, but retired by the end of the season.
Barros started racing motorcycles at the age of eight, when he won on his debut in the Brazilian minibike championship. In the next two years, he was twice Brazilian moped champion. In 1981, he was the Brazilian 50cc Champion, and in 1985 he won the title of Brazilian's 250cc category. The year of 1986 saw his international début in the 80cc category—he lied about his age so he could race at the Spanish Grand Prix at the age of 15. He finished the championship in sixteenth place, scoring six points. In 1987, he also raced the 80cc championship, finishing seventeenth, scoring eight points.
In 1988, Barros made his first race on the World Championship 250cc category, scoring no points. That same year, he was 3rd in the Latin American circuit of that same class. The next year, he finished 18th in the World Championship, scoring 30 points.
In 1990, Barros was the youngest rider in history to join the top motorcycling category, the 500cc, at the age of 20. In his first year, he was 12th overall, with 57 points. Notable results included eighth in the United States and Germany, and fifth in the Belgium Grand Prix. Two years later, his first podium: a third place in the Netherlands.
The year of 1993 saw his breakthrough as he joined the Suzuki team. After qualifying third in the US Grand Prix, Barros had his first victory in Spain, finishing that year's world championship in sixth place. His teammate Kevin Schwantz was that year's champion. The following year, Barros scored in all but one of the races. 1996 saw his best performance yet, finishing the championship at fourth, a feat he repeated in 2000, 2001 and 2002. His win at Mugello in 2001, was the latest by a rider other than Valentino Rossi until 2009. In 2002, the first of MotoGP (with engine displacement capacity increased to up to 990cc) he scored 204 points and won races at Motegi (the first race where he switched from the NSR500 to RC211V) and Valencia, eleven points behind second place. 2003 was a difficult one for Barros due to injuries, but in 2004, he once again finished the championship in fourth, in a season dominated by Valentino Rossi, Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi. In 2005, Barros returned to the top of the podium in Portugal, however he did not mount a lasting championship challenge, and was not offered a ride for 2006. He returned to MotoGP in 2007, riding a Ducati GP7 for Pramac d'Antin. In pre-season testing he matched the factory Ducatis, and at midseason he was ahead of the factory rider Loris Capirossi. He came third at Mugello (ahead of Stoner) and fourth at Istanbul Park.
For 2006, Barros was hired by the Klaffi Honda team in the Superbike World Championship (WSBK), paying around £100,000 of his own money to fund the ride. After a satisfactory debut weekend with two top-ten finishes, he took a pair of podium finishes at Round 2 in Phillip Island, and a second and a fourth in round four at Monza. At Brands Hatch, he failed to qualify for Superpole, but bounced back from 18th on the grid to take a pair of top-ten finishes. The wet meeting at Assen was a disappointment for Barros, especially as he is a wet-weather expert.
Barros' season was characterised by poor starts, but despite this, he ended the season as the second highest Honda rider in the championship in sixth place, behind former champion James Toseland. At Imola, he took his only WSBK win, and followed it with a second place in race 2.
After retiring from Motogp, Barros is still actively racing. He is still competitive and has won several victories in the Brazilian SuperBike Championship.
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