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.After 7th place, Barros retires from MotoGP Terra Esportes (in Portuguese language) November 4, 2007, Retrieved May 24, 2018

Career

Early career 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.

250cc World Championship 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.

500cc & MotoGP World Championship

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.

Superbike World Championship For , 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.Alex Barros career World Superbike statistics at worldsbk.com 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.

Brazilian Superbike

After retiring from Motogp, Barros is still actively racing. He is still competitive and has won several victories in the Brazilian SuperBike Championship.

Barros won the 2016 Brazilian SuperBike final riding a BMW S1000RR. He is known as the owner of the BMW Motorrad Alex Barros Racing Team, which he formed after retiring from the world of MotoGP racing, his last work in the 2007 season. And during the final of the Brazilian Superbike series (BRSBK), he tried to compete in the last series in São Paulo.

In the final session of the BMW S1000RR-powered team, the team was once again able to win the championship with four podium finishes. Including when Barros himself, who holds 276 starts in MotoGP, tried to compete in that final. In race 1, Barros was second behind Diego Faustino, the BRSBK champion, and first in race 2 beating Diego by 6.8 seconds. Barros is now in ninth place in the standings after the two races of the final round of the BRSBK.

Barros won the 2020 championship in the Superbike Master Senior class, and in 2021 he won in the Superbike PRO Master class.

Suzuka 8 Hours In 1999, Barros and Japanese teammate Tadayuki Okada won the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race riding a Honda RC45 superbike.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By class ClassSeasonRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPts 80cc 1986–1987 17 0 0 0 0 14 250cc 1988–1989 14 0 0 0 0 30 500cc 1990–2001 163 4 18 3 8 1,347 MotoGP 2002–2005, 2007 82 3 14 2 6 732 Total 1986–2005, 2007 276 7 32 5 14 2,123

Races by year

Points system from 1969 to 1987: Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 Points system from 1988 to 1992: Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points 20 17 15 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Points system from 1993 onwards: Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points 25 20 16 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Team Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Pts198680cc Rieju SPARet NATRet GER11 AUT23 YUGRet NEDRet 16th6 Autisa GBR8 RSM8 BWUDNS198780cc Casal SPARet GER11 NATRet AUT8 YUG10 NED22 GBR CZERet17th8 Arbizu RSM7 PORRet 1988 250cc Venemotos Yamaha TZ250 JPN USA SPA EXP NAT GER AUT NED BEL YUG FRA GBR SWE CZE BRARet NC 0 1989 250cc Venemotos Yamaha TZ250 JPNRet AUS10 USA16 SPADNQ NAT15 GERDNQ AUT19 YUG15 NEDRet BELRet FRARet GBR13 SWE9 CZE10 BRA10 18th 30 1990 500cc Cagiva GP500 JPNRet USA8 SPARet NATRet GER8 AUT11 YUGRet NED10 BEL5 FRARet GBR11 SWE9 CZERet HUN9 AUS 12th 57 1991 500cc Cagiva GP500 JPN10 AUS8 USA6 SPA ITA4 GERDNS AUT EUR NED7 FRA GBR RSM CZE VDM MAL 13th 46 1992 500cc Cagiva GP500 JPN11 AUS12 MALRet SPA12 ITA5 EUR11 GER7 NED3 HUN9 FRADNS GBR BRA8 RSARet 13th 29 1993 500cc Lucky Strike Suzuki RGV500 AUS5 MAL7 JPN6 SPARet AUT4 GERRet NEDRet EUR5 RSM7 GBRRet CZE10 ITA5 USA2 FIM1 6th 125 1994 500cc Lucky Strike Suzuki RGV500 AUS8 MAL7 JPN5 SPA4 AUT7 GER5 NED2 ITA7 FRA6 GBRRet CZE8 USA8 ARG8 EUR6 8th 134 1995 500cc Kanemoto Honda NSR500 AUS6 MAL6 JPNRet SPA5 GER7 ITA7 NED5 FRA5 GBRRet CZE9 BRA8 ARG8 EUR6 7th 104 1996 500cc Pileri Honda NSR500 MAL2 INA2 JPNRet SPA8 ITA6 FRA7 NED3 GER8 GBR7 AUT5 CZE9 IMO8 CAT8 BRA5 AUS4 4th 158 1997 500cc Gresini Honda NSR500V MAL11 JPN10 SPA8 ITA6 AUT13 FRA6 NED6 IMO9 GER6 BRARet GBR3 CZE8 CATRet INARet AUS8 9th 101 1998 500cc Gresini Honda NSR500 JPN7 MALRet SPA5 ITA9 FRARet MAD9 NED4 GBR5 GER4 CZE3 IMO4 CAT7 AUS4 ARG3 5th 138 1999 500cc MoviStar Pons Honda NSR500 MAL6 JPN8 SPARet FRA10 ITARet CATRet NED10 GBR5 GER8 CZE7 IMO2 VAL10 AUSRet RSA11 BRA4 ARG8 9th 110 2000 500cc Emerson Honda Pons NSR500 RSA4 MAL8 JPN7 SPA5 FRA5 ITARet CATRet NED1 GBR14 GER1 CZERet POR10 VAL5 BRA2 PAC7 AUS4 4th 163 2001 500cc West Honda Pons NSR500 JPN6 RSA9 SPA6 FRA8 ITA1 CATRet NED4 GBR3 GER5 CZE9 PORRet VAL2 PAC2 AUS4 MAL7 BRA4 4th 1822002MotoGPWest Honda Pons NSR500 JPN6 RSARet SPA5 FRA8 ITA5 CAT5 NED2 GBR3 GERRet CZE9 POR5 BRA4 4th204 RC211V PAC1 MAL 3 AUS2 VAL1 2003 MotoGP Gauloises Yamaha Tech3 YZR-M1 JPN8 RSA5 SPA5 FRA3 ITARet CAT8 NED8 GBRDNS GERRet CZE7 POR11 BRA12 PAC6 MAL15 AUSRet VAL6 9th 101 2004 MotoGP Repsol Honda RC211V RSA4 SPA3 FRA7 ITA6 CATRet NEDRet BRA5 GER2 GBR9 CZERet POR3 JPN4 QAT4 MAL3 AUS5 VAL6 4th 165 2005 MotoGP Camel Pons Honda RC211V SPA4 POR 1 CHN 11 FRARet ITA7 CAT4 NED7 USARet GBR3 GER5 CZE4 JPNRet MAL8 QAT9 AUSRet TUR9 VAL5 8th 147 2007 MotoGP Pramac d'Antin Ducati GP7 QAT9 SPA11 TUR4 CHN14 FRARet ITA3 CAT8 GBR7 NED7 GERRet USA9 CZE9 RSMRet PORRet JPN8 AUS5 MAL12 VAL7 10th 115

Suzuka 8 Hours results Year Team Co-Rider Bike Pos 1999 Lucky Strike Honda Tadayuki Okada Honda RVF750 RC45 1st

Superbike World Championship

By season SeasonMotorcycleTeamRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcdWCh Honda CBR1000RR Klaffi Honda 24 1 6 0 2 246 6th –

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 2006 Honda QAT QAT AUS AUS SPA SPA ITA ITA EUR EUR SMR SMR CZE CZE GBR GBR NED NED GER GER ITA ITA FRA FRA 6th 246

References

External links

Alex Barros profile on Motorcycle Racing Online Alex Barros bio at highrevs.net