The 1972 FIA Formula One World Championship began on 23 January and concluded on 8 October, over 12 race weekends, alongside a number of non-championship Formula One races that were still common during this era.
Season
The World Drivers’ Championship was won by Emerson Fittipaldi, driving for Lotus. At just 25 years old, Fittipaldi became the youngest World Champion in Formula One history at the time. This record would stand for more than three decades until Fernando Alonso won the championship in 2005. The defending champion Jackie Stewart finished second in the standings, unable to prevent Fittipaldi from securing his first title.
Fittipaldi’s success came as something of a surprise given Lotus’ struggles in the previous season, when the team had finished only fifth in the championship standings in 1971. However, Lotus continued to refine its innovative Lotus 72, a car featuring a distinctive “wedge-shaped” design that had already begun to revolutionise Formula One aerodynamics. The car also became famous for its striking black-and-gold livery, introduced to promote Imperial Tobacco’s John Player Special brand, one of the most iconic sponsorship schemes in F1 history.
The season also featured a memorable victory for Jean-Pierre Beltoise, who won the 1972 Monaco Grand Prix in extremely wet conditions, driving a BRM P160. The race was notable not only for Beltoise’s performance but also because it marked the final Formula One victory for the British Racing Motors (BRM) team, bringing an end to the team’s winning history in the championship.
Another significant moment came at the end of the season when John Surtees announced his retirement from Formula One. Surtees had achieved the rare distinction of becoming World Champion in both motorcycle racing and Formula One, having won the 1964 Formula One World Championship after already securing six world titles in the 350cc and 500cc motorcycle categories. His departure marked the end of one of the most remarkable careers in motorsport history.
1972 Formula 1 Race Calendar
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1972 Argentine Grand Prix | Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires | 23 January |
| 2 | 1972 South African Grand Prix | Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand | 4 March |
| 3 | 1972 Spanish Grand Prix | Circuito Permanente Del Jarama, Madrid | 1 May |
| 4 | 1972 Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo | 14 May |
| 5 | 1972 Belgian Grand Prix | Nivelles-Baulers, Nivelles | 4 June |
| 6 | 1972 French Grand Prix | Charade Circuit, Clermont-Ferrand | 2 July |
| 7 | 1972 British Grand Prix | Brands Hatch, Kent | 15 July |
| 8 | 1972 German Grand Prix | Nürburgring, Nürburg | 30 July |
| 9 | 1972 Austrian Grand Prix | Österreichring, Spielberg | 13 August |
| 10 | 1972 Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza | 10 September |
| 11 | 1972 Canadian Grand Prix | Mosport Park, Bowmanville | 24 September* |
| 12 | 1972 United States Grand Prix | Watkins Glen International, New York | 8 October |
1972 Formula 1 Race Results
Grands Prix
1972 Formula 1 Standings
Driver standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emerson Fittipaldi | BRA | Lotus Ford | 61 |
| 2 | Jackie Stewart | GBR | Tyrrell Ford | 45 |
| 3 | Denny Hulme | NZL | McLaren Ford | 39 |
| 4 | Jacky Ickx | BEL | Ferrari | 27 |
| 5 | Peter RevsonPeter Revson | USA | McLaren Ford | 23 |
| 6 | Francois Cevert | FRA | Tyrrell Ford | 15 |
| 6 | Clay Regazzoni | SUI | Ferrari | 15 |
| 8 | Mike Hailwood | GBR | Surtees Ford | 13 |
| 9 | Ronnie Peterson | SWE | March Ford | 12 |
| 9 | Chris Amon | NZL | Matra | 12 |
| 11 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise | FRA | BRM | 9 |
| 12 | Mario Andretti | USA | Ferrari | 4 |
| 12 | Howden Ganley | NZL | BRM | 4 |
| 12 | Brian Redman | GBR | BRM | 4 |
| 12 | Graham Hill | GBR | Brabham Ford | 4 |
| 16 | Andrea de Adamich | ITA | Surtees Ford | 3 |
| 16 | Carlos Reutemann | ARG | Brabham Ford | 3 |
| 16 | Carlos Pace | BRA | March Ford | 3 |
| 19 | Tim Schenken | AUS | Surtees Ford | 2 |
| 20 | Arturo Merzario | ITA | Ferrari | 1 |
| 20 | Peter Gethin | GBR | BRM | 1 |
Team standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lotus Ford | 61 |
| 2 | Tyrrell Ford | 51 |
| 3 | McLaren Ford | 47 |
| 4 | Ferrari | 33 |
| 5 | Surtees Ford | 18 |
| 6 | March Ford | 15 |
| 7 | BRM | 14 |
| 8 | Matra | 12 |
| 9 | Brabham Ford | 7 |
