The 1972 Formula One season included the 23rd FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on January 23, 1972, 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. Stewart came second in the championship.

The British Racing Motors (BRM) team took its last victory when Jean-Pierre Beltoise drove a stunning race to win the rain-affected 1972 Monaco Grand Prix with the P160.

Results and standings

Grands Prix

Round	Race	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez	January 23	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	Report
2	South African Grand Prix	Kyalami	March 4	Denny Hulme	McLaren-Ford	Report
3	Spanish Grand Prix	Circuito Permanente Del Jarama	May 1	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	Report
4	Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco	May 14	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	BRM	Report
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Nivelles-Baulers	June 4	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	Report
6	French Grand Prix	Charade Circuit	July 2	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	Report
7	British Grand Prix	Brands Hatch	July 15	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	Report
8	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring	July 30	Jacky Ickx	Ferrari	Report
9	Austrian Grand Prix	Österreichring	August 13	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	Report
10	Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale Monza	September 10	Emerson Fittipaldi	Lotus-Ford	Report
11	Canadian Grand Prix	Mosport Park	September 24	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	Report
12	United States Grand Prix	Watkins Glen International	October 8	Jackie Stewart	Tyrrell-Ford	Report

Drivers

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 22 Wilson Fittipaldi 7 9 Ret 8 12 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 23 Niki Lauda 11 7 Ret 16 12 Ret 9 Ret 10 13 DSQ NC 0 24 Patrick Depailler NC 7 0 25 Helmut Marko 10 14 8 10 Ret 0 26 Mike Beuttler DNQ 13 Ret 19 13 8 Ret 10 NC 13 0 27 Henri Pescarolo 8 11 11 Ret NC Ret Ret DNQ 13 14 0 28 David Walker DSQ 10 9 14 14 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 29 Jody Scheckter 9 0 30 Rolf Stommelen 13 Ret 10 11 16 10 Ret Ret 0 31 Reine Wisell Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 10 0 32 Sam Posey 12 0 33 Nanni Galli Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 0 34 Skip Barber NC 16 0 35 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 Ret 0 — John Surtees Ret 0 — Bill Brack Ret 0 Pos Driver ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA Points

Constructors

Place	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Points	Wins	Podiums	Poles
1	Lotus-Ford	72D	Ford Cosworth DFV		61	5	8	3
2	Tyrrell-Ford	002 003 004 005 006	Ford Cosworth DFV		51	4	7	2
3	McLaren-Ford	M19A M19C	Ford Cosworth DFV		47 (49)	1	11	1
4	Ferrari	312B2-72	Ferrari 001/1		33	1	6	4
5	Surtees-Ford	TS9A TS9B TS14	Ford Cosworth DFV		18		1
6	March-Ford	721 721X 721G	Ford Cosworth DFV		15		1
7	BRM	P153 P153B P160B P160C P180	BRM P142		14	1	1
8	Matra	MS120C MS120D	Matra MS71		12		1	1
9	Brabham-Ford	BT33 BT34 BT37	Ford Cosworth DFV		7			1
10	Politoys-Ford	FX3	Ford Cosworth DFV
11	Tecno	PA123	Tecno Series-P
12	Connew-Ford	PC	Ford Cosworth DFV

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

Notes