1972 Formula One season

1972 FIA Formula One World Championship season
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Index: Races by country | Races by season

The 1972 Formula One season was the 23rd FIA Formula One season. It featured the 23rd World Championship of Drivers, the 15th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship season commenced on January 23 and ended on October 8 after twelve races.

Season summary

For 1972 Team Lotus focussed again on the type 72 chassis. Imperial Tobacco continued its sponsorship of the team under its new John Player Special brand. The cars, now often referred to as 'JPS', were fielded in a new black and gold livery. Lotus took the championship by surprise in 1972 with 25-year old Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi who became the youngest world champion at that point. Stewart came second in the championship.

The British Racing Motors (BRM) team took its last victory when Jean-Pierre Beltoise won the rain-affected 1972 Monaco Grand Prix in a BRM P160.

The Dutch Grand Prix was canceled this year because of safety arrangements that were not completed for the race. It was supposed to be held between the Belgian and French Grand Prix's at the usual location, Zandvoort.

Season review

Rnd	Race	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Constructor	Tyre	Report
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Buenos Aires	January 23	Carlos Reutemann	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	G	Report
2	South African Grand Prix	Kyalami	March 4	Jackie Stewart	Mike Hailwood	Denny Hulme	McLaren-Ford	G	Report
3	Spanish Grand Prix	Jarama	May 1	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
4	Monaco Grand Prix	Monte Carlo	May 14	Emerson Fittipaldi	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	BRM	F	Report
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Nivelles-Baulers	June 4	Emerson Fittipaldi	Chris Amon	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
6	French Grand Prix	Charade Circuit	July 2	Chris Amon	Chris Amon	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	G	Report
7	British Grand Prix	Brands Hatch	July 15	Jacky Ickx	Jackie Stewart	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
8	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring	July 30	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx	Ferrari	F	Report
9	Austrian Grand Prix	Österreichring	August 13	Emerson Fittipaldi	Denny Hulme	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
10	Italian Grand Prix	Monza	September 10	Jacky Ickx	Jacky Ickx	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	F	Report
11	Canadian Grand Prix	Mosport Park	September 24	Peter Revson	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	G	Report
12	United States Grand Prix	Watkins Glen	October 8	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	G	Report

Drivers and constructors

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Driver	Rounds
Motor Racing Developments	Brabham	BT33 BT34 BT37	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Graham Hill	All
					Carlos Reutemann	1-2, 5-12
					Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior	3-12
Marlboro BRM	BRM	P160B P153 P180 P160C	BRM P142 3.0 V12	F	Howden Ganley	1-6, 8-12
					Reine Wisell	1, 3-4, 6, 8, 10
					Peter Gethin	1-7, 9-12
					Alex Soler-Roig	1, 3
					Helmut Marko	1-2, 4-6
					Jean-Pierre Beltoise	2-12
					Jackie Oliver	7
					Bill Brack	11
Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari	312B2	Ferrari 001/1 3.0 F12	F	Jacky Ickx	All
					Clay Regazzoni	1-5, 8-12
					Mario Andretti	1-3, 10, 12
					Nanni Galli	6
					Arturo Merzario	7-8
John Player Team Lotus World Wide Racing	Lotus	72D	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Emerson Fittipaldi	All
					David Walker	1-9, 12
					Reine Wisell	11-12
STP March Racing Team	March	721	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G F	Ronnie Peterson	All
					Niki Lauda	All
Equipe Matra Sports	Matra	MS120C MS120D	Matra MS72 3.0 V12	G	Chris Amon	All
Yardley Team McLaren	McLaren	M19A M19C	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Denny Hulme	All
					Peter Revson	1-3, 5, 7, 10-12
					Brian Redman	4, 6, 8
					Jody Scheckter	12
Brooke Bond Oxo Team Surtees	Surtees	TS9B TS14	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Tim Schenken	All
					Andrea de Adamich	1-3, 5-12
					Mike Hailwood	2-10, 12
					John Surtees	10, 12
Elf Team Tyrrell	Tyrrell	003 002 004 005 006	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Jackie Stewart	1-4, 6-12
					François Cevert	All
					Patrick Depailler	6, 12
Team Williams Motul	March Politoys	711 721 FX3	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Henri Pescarolo	1-12
					Carlos Pace	2-12
Team Eifelland Caravans	Eifelland	21	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	Rolf Stommelen	2-9
Scribante Lucky Strike Racing	Lotus	72D	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Dave Charlton	2, 6-8
Team Gunston	Surtees Brabham	TS9 BT33	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	John Love	2
					Willie Ferguson	2
Clarke-Mordaunt-Guthrie Racing	March Surtees	721G TS9B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Mike Beuttler	3-12
					Andrea de Adamich	4
Martini Racing	Tecno	PA123/3	Tecno Series-P 3.0 F12	F	Nanni Galli	5, 7, 9-10
					Derek Bell	6, 8, 10-12
Darnval Connew Racing Team	Connew	PC1	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	François Migault	7, 9
Gene Mason Racing	March	711	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Skip Barber	11-12
Champcarr Inc.	Surtees	TS9B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	F	Sam Posey	12

Results and standings

Drivers

Points for the 1972 World Championship of Drivers were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the top six placegetters in each race. For classification, only the best five results from the first half of the season and the best five results from the second half of the season could be retained.

Pos Driver ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA Points 1 Emerson Fittipaldi Ret 2 1 3 1 2 1 Ret 1 1 11 Ret 61 2 Jackie Stewart 1 Ret Ret 4 1 2 11 7 Ret 1 1 45 3 Denny Hulme 2 1 Ret 15 3 7 5 Ret 2 3 3 3 39 4 Jacky Ickx 3 8 2 2 Ret 11 Ret 1 Ret Ret 12 5 27 5 Peter Revson Ret 3 5 7 3 3 4 2 18 23 6 François Cevert Ret 9 Ret NC 2 4 Ret 10 9 Ret Ret 2 15 7 Clay Regazzoni 4 12 3 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 5 8 15 8 Mike Hailwood Ret Ret Ret 4 6 Ret Ret 4 2 17 13 9 Ronnie Peterson 6 5 Ret 11 9 5 7 3 12 9 DSQ 4 12 10 Chris Amon DNS 15 Ret 6 6 3 4 15 5 Ret 6 15 12 11 Jean-Pierre Beltoise Ret Ret 1 Ret 15 11 9 8 8 Ret Ret 9 12 Mario Andretti Ret 4 Ret 7 6 4 13 Howden Ganley 9 NC Ret Ret 8 4 6 11 10 Ret 4 14 Brian Redman 5 9 5 Ret 4 15 Graham Hill Ret 6 10 12 Ret 10 Ret 6 Ret 5 8 11 4 16 Carlos Reutemann 7 Ret 13 12 8 Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 3 17 Andrea de Adamich Ret NC 4 7 Ret 14 Ret 13 14 Ret Ret Ret 3 18 José Carlos Pace 17 6 17 5 Ret Ret NC NC Ret 9 Ret 3 19 Tim Schenken 5 Ret 8 Ret Ret 17 Ret 14 11 Ret 7 Ret 2 20 Arturo Merzario 6 12 1 21 Peter Gethin Ret NC Ret Ret Ret Ret 13 6 Ret Ret 1 — Wilson Fittipaldi 7 9 Ret 8 12 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 — Niki Lauda 11 7 Ret 16 12 Ret 9 Ret 10 13 DSQ NC 0 — Patrick Depailler NC 7 0 — Helmut Marko 10 14 8 10 Ret 0 — Mike Beuttler DNQ 13 Ret 19 13 8 Ret 10 NC 13 0 — Henri Pescarolo 8 11 11 Ret NC Ret Ret DNQ 13 14 0 — David Walker DSQ 10 9 14 14 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 — Jody Scheckter 9 0 — Rolf Stommelen 13 Ret 10 11 16 10 Ret 15 0 — Reine Wisell Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 10 0 — Sam Posey 12 0 — Nanni Galli Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 0 — Skip Barber NC 16 0 — John Love 16 0 — Dave Charlton Ret DNQ Ret Ret 0 — Derek Bell Ret DNQ Ret 0 — Alex Soler-Roig Ret Ret 0 — Jackie Oliver Ret 0 — François Migault DNS Ret 0 — John Surtees Ret DNS 0 — Bill Brack Ret 0 — William Ferguson DNS 0 Pos Driver ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA Points

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Light blue Practiced only (PO) Friday test driver (TD) (from 2003 onwards) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrew entry before the event (WD)

Constructors

Points for the 1972 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the top six placegetters in each race. Only the best placed car from each manufacturer was eligible to score points. For classification, only the best five results from the first half of the season and the best five results from the second half of the season could be retained.

Pos.	Manufacturer	ARG	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA	Pts.
1	Lotus-Ford	Ret	2	1	3	1	2	1	Ret	1	1	11	10	61
2	Tyrrell-Ford	1	9	Ret	4	2	1	2	10	7	Ret	1	1	51
3	McLaren-Ford	2	1	5	5	3	7	3	5	2	3	2	3	47 (49)
4	Ferrari	3	4	2	2	Ret	11	6	1	Ret	7	5	5	33
5	Surtees-Ford	5	16	4	7	4	6	Ret	13	4	2	7	12	18
6	March-Ford	6	5	6	10	5	5	7	3	10	9	9	4	15
7	BRM	9	14	Ret	1	8	15	11	4	6	6	10	Ret	14
8	Matra	DNS	15	Ret	6	6	3	4	15	5	Ret	6	15	12
9	Brabham-Ford	7	6	7	9	13	8	8	6	Ret	5	4	11	7
—	Tecno					Ret		Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret		Ret	0
—	Politoys-Ford							Ret						0
—	Connew-Ford									Ret				0
Pos.	Manufacturer	ARG	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA	Pts.

• Bold results counted to championship totals.

Non-Championship race results

Other Formula One races were also held in 1972, which did not count towards the World Championship.

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
VII Race of Champions	Brands Hatch	March 19	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus	Report
I Brazilian Grand Prix	Interlagos	March 30	Carlos Reutemann	Brabham-Cosworth	Report
XXIV BRDC International Trophy	Silverstone	April 23	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus	Report
XIX International Gold Cup	Oulton Park	May 29	Denny Hulme	McLaren-Cosworth	Report
I Italian Republic Grand Prix	Vallelunga	June 18	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus	Report
II World Championship Victory Race	Brands Hatch	October 22	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	BRM	Report

External links

• 1972 World Championship race results and images Retrieved from f1-Facts.com on 20 October