Franco Uncini


Franco Uncini is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1976 to 1985. He won the world championship with the Roberto Gallina-Suzuki team. 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.
File:TT in Assen 500 cc v.l.n.r. Kenny Roberts, Jack Middelburg en Franco Un, Bestanddeelnr 932-2261.jpg|225px|thumb|left|Uncini leads Jack Middelburg and Kenny Roberts at the 1982 Dutch TT
After some disappointing years with a privateer Yamaha team, in 1979, Uncini purchased a Suzuki RG500 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, and for almost two decades the last European rider to win 500cc before Alex Criville won his title in 1999.
In 1983, Uncini 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.

Career statistics

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
WD		ESP
3		NAT
1		NED
1		BEL
3		YUG
1		GBR
1		SWE
NC		RSM
NC		GER
NC		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