Carlos Alberto Lavado Jones (born May 25, 1956) is a Venezuelan former professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer.[1][2] He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1978 to 1992. Lavado is notable for winning two 250cc road racing world championships in 1983 and 1986.[1] He joins Johnny Cecotto as the only two Venezuelans to win Grand Prix World Championships.[2][3]
In 1980, he began competing full-time on the Grand Prix circuit.[1] He went on to win the 250cc World Championship in 1983 and repeated the feat in 1986, both times on a Yamaha TZ 250.[1] At the 1983 Dutch TT, Lavado and Iván Palazzese finished in first and second place marking the first time that Venezuelan riders had claimed the top two places in a world championship Grand Prix race.[4][5]
In fifteen seasons of Grand Prix competition (1978–1992), he participated in 137 races, 125 of them in the 250cc division.[1] He had 36 podium finishes and 17 victories in the 250cc class and 6 podium finishes with 2 victories in the 350cc division.[1] After he retired from competition, he continued his involvement in Grand Prix racing serving as advisor to Venezuelan motorcycle racers Robertino Pietri and Gabriel Ramos.[3]
Motorcycle Grand Prix Results
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
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)