Bologna, September 7, 2026 – Uncini, once a Ducati rider, always a Ducati rider?
“I feel a great affection, yes, because even though I was just one of many riders, the relationship has remained special: this year they also invited me to the World Ducati Week in Misano. They reproduced the SuperSport 750 of Bruno Spaggiari’s private team, with which I raced and won the series championship in 1975. A great emotion.”
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Franco Uncini, 500cc world champion in 1982, gave his first revs precisely on a Ducati: today he looks proudly at the successes of the Red, and attentively at a possible sale of the brand by Volkswagen.
Worried about the rumors about the future?
“Maybe it’s more than just a few rumors, but I must also say that I see the brand really very strong on the market right now, so I wouldn’t worry. Of course, it would be nice if someone took it over…”
Maybe an Italian? Even Governor Michele de Pascale, who requested a meeting at the Ministry about Ducati, expressed this hope.
“Yes, it would be nice if an Italian buyer took it over, but I find it hard to see this possibility on the horizon. However, I remain convinced that production, skills, the know-how are and will continue to be Italian, as a perfect example of the excellence of our Made in Italy.”
How did you start?
“I was at the beginning of my career, I remember that in 1974 the man to beat was Giulio Sabatini riding a Norton. I managed to beat him, so Ducati called him to race with their team in the last races of the season. I also remember that I won two races, while he won the others. So in ’75 Spaggiari made his own team, with these particular ochre yellow bikes: that year we won everything.”
And today your relationship with the Red continues, right?
“As I said, on the occasion of the centenary they also reproduced the very bike with which I won in 1975. It is displayed at the Ducati Museum and a reproduction was also presented at Ducati Week in July. Among all the possible choices, only two bikes were reproduced in 100 symbolic copies: mine and Paul Smart’s.”
What effect did it have on you?
“It makes me proud. Even though I was just a ‘junior’ at the start, I had a great relationship with Ducati. Then I also won, so the affection is strong. It’s partly because it’s Italian, partly because it’s nice to see a bike that represents our country managing to beat Japan.”
Why is that?
“You see, when I raced in the world championship there were only Japanese manufacturers. Ducati didn’t even compete and if someone had said that, after a few decades, it would even manage to beat the Asian giants, they would have been considered crazy. Well… today it not only wins, but even manages to humiliate the opponents, so yes: the satisfaction is really great.”
