Carlo Ubbiali
Ubbiali in 1960
NationalityItalian
Born(1929-09-22)22 September 1929
Bergamo, Italy
Died2 June 2020(2020-06-02) (aged 90)
Bergamo, Italy
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1949–1960
First race1949 125cc Swiss Grand Prix
Last race1960 125cc Nations Grand Prix
First win1950 125cc Ulster Grand Prix
Last win1960 125cc Nations Grand Prix
Team(s)Mondial, MV Agusta
Championships125cc – 1951, 1955, 1956, 1958–1960
250cc – 1956, 1959, 1960
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
71 39 68 N/A 30 403

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]

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. ^ a b "Addio a Carlo Ubbiali, leggenda del motociclismo italiano". gazetta.it (in Italian). 2 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Carlo Ubbiali career statistics". motogp.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd, 1999. ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  4. ^ a b "Carlo Ubbiali at MotoGP Legends". motogp.com. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Carlo Ubbiali at Italy On This Day". italyonthisday.com. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  6. ^ Daily Express page 7 Tuesday 14 June 1960
  7. ^ a b "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

250cc/Moto2 World Riders' Champions
125cc/Moto3 World Riders' Champions
Members of the MotoGP Hall of Fame
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