Alex Barros believes that two incidents beyond his control prevented him from taking the fight to race win🀅ner S🍷ete Gibernau at Qatar on Saturday.

The Brazil🌠ian had qualified second behind Gibernau, but slipped to fifth at the end of the first lap - a position𓆏 he held until rammed by Valentino Rossi as the Italian attempted a clumsy pass on lap 4 of 22.

The imp🔯act, for which Rossi instantly apologised, forced Alex to run wide, but he recovered quickly... only to become a victim ofಌ Shinya Nakano's exploding Kawasaki later on the same lap.

The 33-year-old lost the front of his factory spec RCV on oil and this time couldn't keep his machine on the already slipᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚpery asphalt. Barros rejoined the race in 18th and courageously fought his way all the way up to fourth at the chequered flag.

"Really disappointed," sighed Barros afterwards. "I got a bad start and I saw Sete and Checa pulling away so I know I need to catch-up. I pass Xaus and then Valentino tꦆouched me and knocked me off line.

"I go in the dir⛦ty section of the track and come back a few places later. Then I see the Kawasaki smoking and I am right behind. I brake and I feel the front go so I just run off the track and come back in nearl🤪y last place I think.

"I then have tꦯo recover everything and we start the race again. I know I had a chance to fight with Sete today. We had a great opportunity and we missed the opportunity. The machine felt good and I need to look positively forward. I need to win. I want a victory. We have three races left this year," he concluded.

Repsol Honda team-mate Nicky Hayden f༒inishe𓆉d fifth.