Last week, the European motorcycling community paid its final homage to Carlo Ubbiali, the first motorcycle roadracer to approach the “magic 10” world championship titles. He passed away at 90 years old on June 2.
Ubbiali was born on September 22, 1929, in the town of Bergamo, a few miles from where the ultimate motorcycling multi-champion, Giacomo Agostini, was born. Carlo’s early acquaintance with motorcycling was made natural by the fact that his father ran an MV Agusta dealership and he entered his first race in 1946, a minor, local event in his hometown. In 1948, he was in Milan as a mechanic with his father, supporting the team at the “Milan Fair'' roadrace. One of the racers did not show and his place was offered to Carlo, and he astonished the audience by finishing second in the 125cc class, behind world champion Nello Pagani.
This performance won him a place on the team. He confirmed his worth finishing second again on the Monza Racetrack that reopened after World War II. In the 1949 season he proved his outstanding versatility racing for the MV Agusta ISDT team, winning the gold medal in the edition which that year was held in Wales. He also raced the 125cc roadrace world championship, finishing third behind world champion Pagani and one Renato Magi.
In 1950, he left MV Agusta and joined the 125cc Mondial team, finishing second and winning his first GP on the Ulster circuit of Dundrod. In 1951, he conquered his first 125cc world title starting his accumulation of championships that has only been bested by Agostini and Ángel Nieto—the great Mike Hailwood and Valentino Rossi have the same number as Ubbiali.
In 1952, he ended second at the end of a season-long battle against Cecil Sandford and his very fast MV Agusta. For 1953, Carlo quit FB Mondial and joined MV Agusta, finishing third. The season had been dominated by the NSU of Werner Haas, with the four riders of the very impressive MV Agusta team left to erode each other’s chances for the overall win and ultimately finishing in a row behind Haas: Sandford, Ubbiali, Angelo Copeta, Les Graham.
Again, in 1954, Ubbiali clashed with the superior potential of the NSU, finishing second to Rupert Hollaus and fending off the assault of the rest of the NSU team. In 1955, NSU quit racing so Carlo Ubbiali and his MV Agusta dominated the 125cc class, with MV Agusta winning taking the second and third spot as well at the end of a very successful season. That year Ubbiali had his first outing in the 250cc class, winning the Italian GP. That was the beginning of a yet more impressive row of wins in both classes that led him to the conquest of both championships in 1956, always on MV Agustas.
No titles in either class in 1957; Ubbiali had to wait till 1958 to win again the 125cc class championship, while finishing third in the 250cc class. 1959 and 1960 were his most glorious seasons, winning four titles before closing his superb career, retiring at a relatively green age of 31 years—after a total of 74 races and 39 wins.
Carlo Ubbiali was nicknamed either “Cinesino” (Chinese kid), because of the profile of his eyes, or “Fox.” The second nickname was more fitting because Ubbiali proved one of the sharpest tacticians in the sport. He was a very competent and capable technician who always set his bike to its best potential, and he always raced to achieve the best possible result with his eye on the final championship standing. Always he got the best out of his bike, but without ever going over the top and risking crashing, wasting all his efforts.
His all Italian battles with Tarquinio Provini belong to the legend of the sport, but here I would like to remember the 125cc Ulster GP. That year the MV Agusta had met very strong competition from a newcomer: the Ducati 125cc Desmo “3 Cams”—very fast and pretty reliable too. The Ducati team was very strong with Luigi Taveri, Romolo Ferri, Bruno Spaggiari, David Chadwick, and Alberto Gandossi. MV Agusta had Ubbiali and Provini, but the bike potential could not match that of the Ducati.
Gandossi was very fast—a real daredevil—and when the circus came to the Ulster GP he had a lead over Ubbiali; that would grant him the title in case of victory at Dundrod. That day it was pouring down rain and a cautious ride was a must. Gandossi dared beyond logic, as usual, but his wild ride was paying off because he was out of sight, leading Ubbiali by a half lap with only two laps to go. Then he crashed and left the door open for the 1958 125cc class World Championship. Ubbiali knew Gandossi, and he did not care about chasing him in the pouring rain—the rain would take care of Gandossi.
The Fox was smart when racing and he proved smart as a manager. It was Ubbiali who sponsored a very young Giacomo Agostini with Count Domenico Agusta. He never left Bergamo and always took part at the MV Agusta Revival events in Cascina Costa, riding there in his old black leathers and white pudding-bowl helmet, even when he was well past 80 years old. He was a fantastic champion but, above all, a fantastic man of the sport. Godspeed, great Carlo Ubbiali.