Franco Uncini


Franco Uncini is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion. He was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2016.

Career

Uncini was born at Recanati, province of Macerata. He made his debut as professional motorcycle road racer in the 750cc class with Laverda, moving later to Ducati, with whom he earned various titles as Italian champion. His first year in the Grand Prix World Championship was with Yamaha in 1976, in both the 250cc and the 350cc classes. The following year he continued to race in both classes, this time with the Harley-Davidson team, winning two Grands Prix in 250cc and finishing second in championship behind Mario Lega. However, his quarrelsome relationship with teammate Walter Villa forced him to move back to Yamaha.
After some disappointing years with a privateer Yamaha team, in 1979 he bought a Suzuki and launched a private team of his own in the 500cc class. He was the top-ranking privateer both in 1979 and 1980, with 5th- and 4th-place finishes. Accidents hindered his 1981 season, but after Marco Lucchinelli left Suzuki to join Honda, Suzuki offered Uncini an official factory-sponsored race bike run by Roberto Gallina's team. Finally, with a competitive vehicle, Uncini won the World Championship in 1982, scoring five victories. He was the last Italian rider to win the 500cc crown until Valentino Rossi won in 2001.
In 1983, he was severely injured at TT-Assen, when he fell off his bike and was struck in the head by competitor Wayne Gardner's bike. He went into a coma, but eventually recovered. He retired from motorcycle competition after the 1985 season.
Today, Uncini acts as Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Safety Officer in MotoGP.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing results

Points system from 1969 to 1988:
Position12345678910
Points1512108654321


YearClassTeam12345678910111213PointsRankWins
1976250ccYamahaFRA
-
NAT
-
IOM
-
NED
10
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GER
-
ESP
-
621st0
1976350ccYamahaFRA
-
AUT
-
NAT
2
IOM
-
NED
6
FIN
-
CZE
-
GER
-
ESP
3
279th0
1977250ccHarley DavidsonVEN
-
GER
3
NAT
1
ESP
13
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
2
BEL
7
SWE
-
FIN
4
CZE
1
GBR
4
722nd2
1977350ccHarley DavidsonVEN
-
GER
-
NAT
6
ESP
-
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
5
SWE
-
FIN
-
CZE
-
GBR
-
1120th0
1978250ccYamahaVEN
-
ESP
3
FRA
-
NAT
3
NED
4
BEL
2
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
-
GER
-
CZE
9
YUG
-
428th0
1978350ccYamahaVEN
-
AUT
2
FRA
-
NAT
5
NED
10
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
-
GER
-
CZE
-
YUG
-
1912th0
1979500ccSuzukiVEN
4
AUT
6
GER
6
NAT
-
ESP
5
YUG
3
NED
6
BEL
-
SWE
-
FIN
-
GBR
7
FRA
4
515th0
1980500ccSuzukiNAT
2
ESP
7
FRA
-
NED
3
BEL
6
FIN
3
GBR
6
GER
7
504th0
1981500ccSuzukiAUT
7
GER
10
NAT
8
FRA
-
YUG
NC
NED
-
BEL
-
RSM
NC
GBR
16
FIN
NC
SWE
7
1213th0
1982500ccSuzukiARG
4
AUT
1
FRA
-
ESP
3
NAT
1
NED
1
BEL
3
YUG
1
GBR
1
SWE
-
RSM
-
GER
-
1031st5
1983500ccSuzukiRSA
6
FRA
NC
NAT
4
GER
5
ESP
5
AUT
5
YUG
NC
NED
NC
BEL
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
RSM
-
319th0
1984500ccSuzukiRSA
NC
NAT
5
ESP
NC
AUT
11
GER
6
FRA
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
GBR
11
SWE
NC
RSM
8
1414th0
1985500ccSuzukiRSA
11
ESP
-
GER
NC
NAT
8
AUT
13
YUG
NC
NED
13
BEL
13
FRA
12
GBR
18
SWE
15
RSM
6
815th0