Carlo Ubbiali

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Age 28, Carlo Ubbiali won the 125 cc World Championship in 1951 with a first place in the Grand Prix des Nations and a second place in both the Spanish Grand Prix and the TT. He has also held three Italian championships. A mechanic from Bergamo, Italy, he has scored well over 30 victories since 1949. In 1950, riding a Mondial, he won the 125 cc class of the Ulster Grand Prix at 77.46 mph and put up a record lap at 78.92 mph. He went on to finish second in the Grand Prix des Nations at 82.08 mph.

In 1951 his winning ride in the Grand Prix des Nations was made at an average of 84.52 mph. In the TT he averaged 74.38 mph to finish 22 seconds behind the winner, Cromie McCandless, who also rode a Mondial. In 1952 Carlo failed to win the 125 cc. Championship by four points - he was second to Cecil Standford. Second place, indeed was the order for his throughout the season. He was second to Cecil in the TT and the 'Dutch', second to Werner Haas in the 'German' and second to Mendogni in the Grand Prix of Nations.

A year later he signed up with the MV stable. In the 125 cc TT he retired with a broken oil pipe, but he made up for that with a win in the German GP, a second in the Dutch TT and third place in the GP des Nations. After a thrilling duel for the lead in the 1954 125 cc. TT Carlo took second place to Rupert Hollaus, his speed being 69.52 mph. In Continental races he was third in the Dutch, German and Italian Grands Prix (125 cc classes), while in May of 1955 he was third in the same class of Spanish Grand Prix. He was the winner of the 1955 125 cc. TT at a record speed of 69.67 mph and made reocrd lap at 71.65 mph.

Later in the season he won the 125 cc. German Grand Prix and went on to win both 125 cc and 250 cc classes of the Italian GP. But if 1955 was a good year for him, 1956 was even better, for he became World Champion in both 125 and 250 cc categories. The TT was the first of the season's Championship events - and Carlo won both Lightweight races in one morning. By doing so he made TT history, for this was the first time that any rider, British or foreign, had won both 250 and 125 cc races in one year - let alone in one week, and one morning!

Well, that was a good start, but Carlo did not rest on his laurels. He won the same two classes of the Dutch, on June 30th and of the Belgian the following weekend - three 'doubles' in succession. He followed these by winning the 250 German and coming in second in the 125 whilst in Ulster he won 125 and he finished off the season by winning both Lightweight classes of the Grand Prix of Nations.

Off again in 1957, he won the two Lightweight classes of the German Grand Prix, in May. In the TT, however, the best he could do was a second in the 125, for he retired in the 250. His last big race of the season was the Grand Prix of Nations, where he won the 125 race, with fastest lap. He is obviously back on form this year, for he won both 125 and 250 cc classes of the recent Spanish Grand Prix and did the same again in last month's Austrian Grand Prix. Carlo is one of the 'official' MV entries for both Lightweight races.

(TT Special, Friday, June 06, 1958 p25)

Nationality: Italian

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