Carlo Ubbiali

Carlo Ubbiali (22 September 1929 – 2 June 2020)^[1] was an Italian nine-time World Champion motorcycle road racer.^[2] In the 1950s, he was a dominant force in the smaller classes of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, winning six 125cc and three 250cc world titles.^[3] In 2001, the F.I.M. inducted Ubbiali into the MotoGP Hall of Fame.^[4][5]

Carlo Ubbiali
Ubbiali in 1960
Nationality	Italian
Born	(1929-09-22)22 September 1929 Bergamo, Italy
Died	2 June 2020(2020-06-02) (aged 90) Bergamo, Italy
Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1949–1960 First race 1949 125cc Swiss Grand Prix Last race 1960 125cc Nations Grand Prix First win 1950 125cc Ulster Grand Prix Last win 1960 125cc Nations Grand Prix Team(s) Mondial, MV Agusta Championships 125cc – 1951, 1955, 1956, 1958–1960 250cc – 1956, 1959, 1960 Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 71 39 68 N/A 30 403

Career

Ubbiali was born in Bergamo, Lombardy. In 1949, the first year of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, he finished in fourth place in the 125cc class riding an MV Agusta.^[2] That year, he also won a gold medal in the International Six Days Trial.^[3] He switched to Mondial for the 1950 season, and the following year won his first world championship for Mondial in 1951.^[2]

After losing his crown to Cecil Sandford in 1952, he re-signed with MV Agusta. He went on to become their top rider, winning six 125cc titles and three 250cc crowns and scoring double championships in 1956, 1959, and 1960.^[2] Ubbiali was also a five-time winner at the prestigious Isle of Man TT races.^[6][7] He rarely made a mistake while competing, as evidenced by the fact that he never suffered a serious crash during his 12-year Grand Prix career.^[3]

Ubbiali retired at the age of 30 while still in his prime. Until the motorcycle racing career of Giacomo Agostini, he was considered Italy's greatest motorcycle racer.^[3] His nine World Championships tie him with Mike Hailwood and Valentino Rossi for third place on the championship win list behind only Giacomo Agostini and Ángel Nieto.

In 2001, the F.I.M. inducted Ubbiali into the MotoGP Hall of Fame.^[4][5] In 2019, Ubbiali received the Coni Golden Collar award.^[8]

Ubbiali died on 2 June 2020.^[1] By the time of his death, he was the last surviving rider from the first season of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.^[9]

Motorcycle Grand Prix results

1949 points system:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	Fastest lap
Points	10	8	7	6	5	1

Points system from 1950 to 1968:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6
Points	8	6	4	3	2	1

(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Class	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Points	Rank	Wins
1949	125cc	MV Agusta	SUI 4	NED 3	NAT -					13	4th	0
1950	125cc	Mondial	NED -	ULS 1	NAT 2					14	2nd	1
1951	125cc	Mondial	ESP 2	IOM 2	NED -	ULS -	NAT 1			20	1st	1
1952	125cc	Mondial	IOM 2	NED 2	GER 2	ULS -	NAT 2	ESP -		24	2nd	0
1953	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM NC	NED 2	GER 1	ULS -	NAT 3	ESP -		18	3rd	1
1954	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM 2	ULS -	NED 3	GER 3	NAT 3	ESP -		18	2nd	0
1955	125cc	MV Agusta	ESP 3	FRA 1	IOM 1	GER 1	NED 1		NAT 1	32	1st	5
	250cc	MV Agusta			IOM -	GER -	NED -	ULS -	NAT 1	8	7th	1
1956	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM 1	NED 1	BEL 1	GER 2	ULS 1	NAT 1		32	1st	5
	250cc	MV Agusta	IOM 1	NED 1	BEL 1	GER 1	ULS -	NAT 1		32	1st	5
1957	125cc	MV Agusta	GER 1	IOM 2	NED -	BEL -	ULS -	NAT 1		22	3rd	2
	250cc	MV Agusta	GER 1	IOM NC	NED -	BEL -	ULS -	NAT -		8	5th	1
1958	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM 1	NED 1	BEL 5	GER 1	SWE 3	ULS 1	NAT -	32	1st	4
	250cc	MV Agusta	IOM 2	NED 2	BEL -	GER -	SWE -	ULS -	NAT 3	16	3rd	0
1959	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM 5	GER 1	NED 1	BEL 1	SWE 2	ULS -	NAT 2	30	1st	3
	250cc	MV Agusta	IOM 2	GER 1	NED 2	BEL -	SWE 2	ULS -	NAT 1	28	1st	2
1960	125cc	MV Agusta	IOM 1	NED 1	BEL 3		ULS 1	NAT 1		24	1st	4
	250cc	MV Agusta	IOM 2	NED 1	BEL 1	GER 2	ULS 1	NAT 1		32	1st	4

^[2][7]

References

1. "Addio a Carlo Ubbiali, leggenda del motociclismo italiano". gazetta.it (in Italian). 2 June 2020.
2. "Carlo Ubbiali career statistics". motogp.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
3. 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd, 1999. ISBN 1-874557-83-7
4. "Carlo Ubbiali at MotoGP Legends". motogp.com. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
5. "Carlo Ubbiali at Italy On This Day". italyonthisday.com. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
6. Daily Express page 7 Tuesday 14 June 1960
7. "Carlo Ubbiali Isle of Man TT results". iomtt.com. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
8. Thiel, Wade (2 June 2020). "Carlo Ubbiali, A Motorcycling Legend, Dies At 90 Years Old". WebBikeWorld.com.
9. "Ex-world motorcycling champion Carlo Ubbiali dies aged 90". wheels24.co.za. 2 June 2020.

External links

• Carlo Ubbiali profile at iomtt.com
• Carlo Ubbiali at the CONI honored athlete website (in Italian)