1972 Italian Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Italy
Grand Prix:Italian
Official Name:43º Gran Premio d'Italia[1]
Date:10 September
Year:1972
Location:Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Monza, Lombardy, Italy
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Mi:3.588
Course Km:5.775
Distance Laps:55
Distance Mi:197.363
Distance Km:317.625
Weather:Dry and sunny
Pole Driver:Jacky Ickx
Pole Country:Belgium
Pole Team:Ferrari
Pole Time:1:35.65
Fast Driver:Jacky Ickx
Fast Country:Belgium
Fast Team:Ferrari
Fast Time:1:36.3
First Driver:Emerson Fittipaldi
First Country:Brazil
First Team:Lotus-Ford
Second Driver:Mike Hailwood
Second Country:UK
Second Team:Surtees-Ford
Third Driver:Denny Hulme
Third Country:New Zealand
Third Team:McLaren-Ford

The 1972 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 10 September 1972. It was race 10 of 12 in both the 1972 World Championship of Drivers and the 1972 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.

Before the race, the Monza circuit was modified with the addition of two chicanes, one before the Curva Grande and one at the site of the old Curva Vialone, in order to reduce speeds in the interests of safety. Team Lotus was forced to run only one car because Emerson Fittipaldi's Lotus 72D was seriously damaged in an accident while being transported to Monza. Fittipaldi raced another 72D, but with specifications very close to the 1970 model.

The 55-lap race was won by Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi, driving a Lotus-Ford, after he started from sixth position. With the win, Fittipaldi sealed the Drivers' Championship, becoming the youngest ever champion at 25 years and 273 days until superseded by Fernando Alonso at 24 years and 59 days in 2005; Lotus also secured the Manufacturers' Cup. Englishman Mike Hailwood finished second in a Surtees-Ford, with New Zealander Denny Hulme third in a McLaren-Ford.

The race marked the last win for American tyre manufacturer Firestone in Formula One. It was also the last race in which 1964 World Champion John Surtees competed.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos.DriverConstructorTime/Gap
1 Jacky IckxFerrari1:35.65
2 Chris AmonMatra+0.04
3 Jackie StewartTyrrellFord+0.14
4 Clay RegazzoniFerrari+0.18
5 Denny HulmeMcLarenFord+0.32
6 Emerson FittipaldiLotusFord+0.64
7 Mario AndrettiFerrari+0.67
8 Peter RevsonMcLarenFord+0.77
9 Mike HailwoodSurteesFord+0.85
10 Reine WisellBRM+1.03
11 Carlos ReutemannBrabhamFord+1.47
12 Peter GethinBRM+1.56
13 Graham HillBrabhamFord+1.96
14 François CevertTyrrellFord+2.14
15 Wilson FittipaldiBrabhamFord+2.17
16 Jean-Pierre BeltoiseBRM+2.21
17 Howden GanleyBRM+2.26
18 Carlos PaceMarchFord+2.33
19 John SurteesSurteesFord+2.66
20 Niki LaudaMarchFord+2.87
21 Andrea de AdamichSurteesFord+2.95
22 Tim SchenkenSurteesFord+2.96
23 Nanni GalliTecno+2.99
24 Ronnie PetersonMarchFord+3.05
25 Mike BeuttlerMarchFord+4.08
26 Henri PescaroloMarchFord+4.56
27 Derek BellTecno+6.42
Source:[2]
*Entries with a red background failed to qualify.

Race

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
16 Emerson FittipaldiLotus-Ford551:29:58.469
210 Mike HailwoodSurtees-Ford55+ 14.596
314 Denny HulmeMcLaren-Ford55+ 23.854
415 Peter RevsonMcLaren-Ford55+ 35.783
528 Graham HillBrabham-Ford55+ 1:05.6132
623 Peter GethinBRM55+ 1:21.9121
73 Mario AndrettiFerrari54+ 1 Lap7 
821 Jean-Pierre BeltoiseBRM54+ 1 Lap16 
919 Ronnie PetersonMarch-Ford54+ 1 Lap24 
1016 Mike BeuttlerMarch-Ford54+ 1 Lap25 
1122 Howden GanleyBRM52+ 3 Laps17 
1224 Reine WisellBRM51+ 4 Laps10 
1318 Niki LaudaMarch-Ford50+ 5 Laps20 
Ret4 Jacky IckxFerrari46Electrical1 
Ret20 Chris AmonMatra38Brakes2 
Ret9 Andrea de AdamichSurtees-Ford33Brakes21 
Ret29 Wilson FittipaldiBrabham-Ford20Suspension19 
Ret7 John SurteesSurtees-Ford20Fuel System22 
Ret8 Tim SchenkenSurtees-Ford20Spun Off15 
Ret5 Clay RegazzoniFerrari16Collision4 
Ret26 Carlos PaceMarch-Ford15Collision18 
Ret30 Carlos ReutemannBrabham-Ford14Suspension11 
Ret2 François CevertTyrrell-Ford14Engine14 
Ret11 Nanni GalliTecno6Engine23 
Ret1 Jackie StewartTyrrell-Ford0Clutch3 
DNQ25 Henri PescaroloMarch-Ford  
DNQ12 Derek BellTecno    

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1 Emerson Fittipaldi61
12 Denny Hulme31
13 Jackie Stewart27
4 Jacky Ickx25
5 Peter Revson17
Source: [3]
Constructors' Championship standings
PosConstructorPoints
1 Lotus-Ford61
2 McLaren-Ford39
3 Tyrrell-Ford33
4 Ferrari29
25 Surtees-Ford18
Source:
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Motor Racing Programme Covers: 1972 . The Programme Covers Project . 13 November 2017.
  2. Web site: Formula One 1972 Italian Grand Prix Classification | Motorsport Stats.
  3. Web site: Italy 1972 - Championship • STATS F1. www.statsf1.com. 18 March 2019.