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1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Sports season


Sports season

The 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 24th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 30 April, with West German Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 23 September.

Season summary

Another year, another championship for Giacomo Agostini, claiming a record 11 victories to take his seventh consecutive 500cc crown for MV Agusta. Things were tighter in the 350cc class with Jarno Saarinen giving Agostini a strong challenge by winning three races, including a victory at the German Grand Prix held at the daunting Nürburgring race track, where Saarinen defeated Agostini for the first time in a head-to-head race. Saarinen also scored a double victory at the Czechoslovak Grand Prix with victories in both the 250cc and 350cc classes. The threat from Saarinen's two stroke Yamaha was so strong that the previously dominant MV Agusta factory was forced to produce a new 350cc motorcycle for Agostini.

In the 250cc division, Saarinen would win a tight race in a season-long battle with Renzo Pasolini and Rod Gould. Angel Nieto claimed a double, winning the 125cc and 50cc championships for Derbi before the Spanish factory announced its pull out from Grand Prix racing. The Yamaha factory won its first-ever 500cc Grand Prix race at the season ending Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama when Chas Mortimer won the race after Agostini sat out the event after already winning the championship,

This would be the final season for the East German Grand Prix as a championship race, as SED officials, troubled by fans singing Das Lied der Deutschen (the West German national anthem) after Dieter Braun's victory the previous season, limited entries to only Eastern Bloc nations beginning in 1973.

1972 Grand Prix season calendar

RoundDateGrand PrixCircuit50cc winner125cc winner250cc winner350cc winner500cc winnerSidecars 500cc winnerReport12345678910111213
30 AprilFRG German Grand PrixNürburgring NordschleifeNLD Jan de VriesITA Gilberto ParlottiJPN Hideo KanayaFIN Jarno SaarinenITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Schauzu / Kalauch[Report](1972-west-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
7 MayFRA French Grand PrixCharadeITA Gilberto ParlottiGBR Phil ReadFIN Jarno SaarinenITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Luthringshauser / Cusnik[Report](1972-french-motorcycle-grand-prix)
14 MayAUT Austrian Grand PrixSalzburgringESP Angel NietoSWE Börje JanssonITA Giacomo AgostiniITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Enders / Engelhardt[Report](1972-austrian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
21 MayITA Nations Grand PrixImolaNLD Jan de VriesESP Angel NietoITA Renzo PasoliniITA Giacomo AgostiniITA Giacomo Agostini[Report](1972-nations-motorcycle-grand-prix)
9 JuneIOM Isle of Man TTSnaefell MountainGBR Chas MortimerGBR Phil ReadITA Giacomo AgostiniITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Schauzu / Kalauch[Report](1972-isle-of-man-tt)
18 JuneYugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand PrixOpatijaNLD Jan BruinsSWE Kent AnderssonITA Renzo PasoliniHUN János DrapálITA Alberto Pagani[Report](1972-yugoslavian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
24 JuneNLD Dutch TTAssenESP Angel NietoESP Angel NietoGBR Rodney GouldITA Giacomo AgostiniITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Enders / Engelhardt[Report](1972-dutch-tt)
2 JulyBEL Belgian Grand PrixSpa-FrancorchampsESP Angel NietoESP Angel NietoFIN Jarno SaarinenITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Enders / Engelhardt[Report](1972-belgian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
9 JulyDDR Grand Prix of the DRGSachsenringNLD Theo TimmerSWE Börje JanssonFIN Jarno SaarinenGBR Phil ReadITA Giacomo Agostini[Report](1972-east-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
16 JulyCSK Czechoslovak Grand PrixBrnoSWE Börje JanssonFIN Jarno SaarinenFIN Jarno SaarinenITA Giacomo AgostiniDEU Enders / Engelhardt[Report](1972-czechoslovak-motorcycle-grand-prix)
23 JulySWE Swedish Grand PrixAnderstorpNLD Jan de VriesESP Angel NietoGBR Rodney GouldITA Giacomo AgostiniITA Giacomo Agostini[Report](1972-swedish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
30 JulyFIN Finnish Grand PrixImatraSWE Kent AnderssonFIN Jarno SaarinenITA Giacomo AgostiniITA Giacomo AgostiniGBR Vincent / Casey[Report](1972-finnish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
23 SeptemberESP Spanish Grand PrixMontjuïcESP Angel NietoSWE Kent AnderssonITA Renzo PasoliniCHE Bruno KneubühlerGBR Chas Mortimer[Report](1972-spanish-motorcycle-grand-prix)

Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. Only the best of five races were counted on 50cc and Sidecars championships, while in the 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc championships, the best of seven races were counted.

Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10thPoints
1512108654321

500cc final standings

PosRiderMachine[GER](1972-west-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
DEU[FRA](1972-french-motorcycle-grand-prix)
FRA[AUT](1972-austrian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
AUT[NAC](1972-nations-motorcycle-grand-prix)
ITA[MAN](1972-isle-of-man-tt)
IOM[YUG](1972-yugoslavian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
YUG[HOL](1972-dutch-tt)
NLD[BEL](1972-belgian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
BEL[DDR](1972-east-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
DDR[TCH](1972-czechoslovak-motorcycle-grand-prix)
TCH[SWE](1972-swedish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
SWE[FIN](1972-finnish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
FIN[ESP](1972-spanish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
ESPPts1234567891011121314151617=192021==242526=2829303132=343536373839=4142434445=47484950=52535455565758=60616263==66676869=717273=75===79=818283===878889909192939495969798=100101102=104105106=108109110111112113PosRiderBike[GER](1972-west-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
DEU[FRA](1972-french-motorcycle-grand-prix)
FRA[AUT](1972-austrian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
AUT[NAC](1972-nations-motorcycle-grand-prix)
ITA[MAN](1972-isle-of-man-tt)
IOM[YUG](1972-yugoslavian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
YUG[HOL](1972-dutch-tt)
NLD[BEL](1972-belgian-motorcycle-grand-prix)
BEL[DDR](1972-east-german-motorcycle-grand-prix)
DDR[CZE](1972-czechoslovak-motorcycle-grand-prix)
TCH[SWE](1972-swedish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
SWE[FIN](1972-finnish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
FIN[ESP](1972-spanish-motorcycle-grand-prix)
ESPPts
ITA Giacomo AgostiniMV Agusta*1**1**1**1**1**Ret**1**1**1**1**1****1*****105** (165)
ITA Alberto PaganiMV Agusta2221222**87**
CHE Bruno KneubühlerYamaha11485Ret3437Ret**4****54** (57)
GBR Rodney GouldYamaha32423**52**
SWE Bo GranathHusqvarna663Ret5Ret567312Ret**47** (51)
GBR Chas MortimerYamaha25Ret5Ret8Ret*1***42**
GBR Dave SimmondsKawasaki4Ret4Ret452**42**
GBR Billie NelsonHonda / Yamaha / Paton87RetRet985946**31** (33)
AUS Jack FindlayJada-Suzuki7RetRetRetRet6RetRet2RetRet3**31**
NZL Kim NewcombeKönig31012Ret3Ret5Ret**27**
ITA Guido MandracciSuzuki82Ret410Ret**24**
FRA Christian BourgeoisYamahaRet25Ret9**20**
NLD Rob BronSuzukiRet34Ret**18**
SWE Sven-Olof GunnarssonKawasaki12RetRetRet66Ret5**16**
GBR Jerry LancasterYamaha / Suzuki15RetRet977117**14**
DEU Paul EicklebergKönig3038RetRet**13**
GBR Mick GrantKawasaki3**10**
ITA Bruno SpaggiariDucati3**10**
ITA Gianpiero ZubaniKawasaki6Ret7**9**
ITA Sergio BaronciniDucati97814**9**
GBR Kevin CowleySeeley-Matchless4**8**
JPN Hideo KanayaYamaha4**8**
GBR Paul SmartDucati4**8**
DEU Lothar JohnYamaha / Suzuki108111081810**8**
NLD Piet Van der WalKawasakiRet1387**7**
DEU Ernst HillerKönig / Kawasaki5RetRet**6**
FRA André PogolottiSuzuki5RetRet**6**
GBR Derek ChattertonYamaha5**6**
FRA Eric OffenstadtKawasaki / YamahaRetRetRetRetRetRet6RetRet**5**
SCO Charlie DobsonKawasakiRet6RetRet**5**
DEU Klaus HuberKawasakiRet6**5**
FIN Pentti KorhonenYamaha6**5**
GBR Charlie WilliamsYamaha6**5**
SWE Kurt-Ivan CarlssonYamaha149Ret1312Ret10Ret9**5**
AUT Alois MaxwaldRotaxRet711**4**
ITA Silvano BertarelliKawasaki / Paton7Ret**4**
Wales Selwyn GriffithsMatchless7**4**
GBR Derek LeeSuzukiRetRet8Ret**3**
GBR Clive BrownSuzuki8**3**
ITA Getulio MarcacciniAermacchi8**3**
ITA Carlo MarelliPaton / Kawasaki109**3**
HUN Arpád JuhosMetisse-Matchless / Aermacchi915**2**
JPN Ken AraokaKawasaki9RetRetRet**2**
SWE Johnny BengtssonHusqvarna-ProtoRet9**2**
GBR Paul CottSeeley9**2**
FIN Seppo KangasniemiYamaha9**2**
ITA Roberto GallinaPatonRetRet10Ret**1**
GBR Maurice HawthorneKawasakiRetRet10**1**
AUT Josef ÖzeltMatchless10Ret**1**
SWE Ulf NilssonSuzuki10**1**
GBR Charlie SanbySuzuki10**1**
GBR Ron ChandlerKawasaki13Ret11**0**
FIN Kai KuparinenSuzuki / KawasakiRetRetRet1911**0**
DEU Ted JanssenSuzuki27Ret11**0**
AUT Michael SchmidYamaha2811Ret**0**
AUS Terry DennehyHondaRet11Ret**0**
ITA Giordano MongardiDucati11Ret**0**
FRA Christian LeonKawasaki11**0**
NIR Billy McCoshSuzuki11**0**
CHE Gyula MarsovszkyLintoRetRetRetRetRet12Ret**0**
GBR Steve EllisYamahaRet12RetRetRetRet**0**
SWE Morgan RadbergMonarkRet12**0**
URY Gustavo CerdeñaSuzuki12**0**
GBR John HughesMatchless12**0**
GBR Stan WoodsSuzuki12**0**
CHE Heinz SchmidSuzuki18RetRet13**0**
NZL Keith TurnerSuzuki13RetRetRetRetRetRetRetRetRet**0**
CHE Jean CampicheLintoRet13Ret**0**
SWE Agne CarlssonHusqvarna13**0**
GBR Jeff WadeYamaha13**0**
FIN Kaarlo KoivuniemiKawasaki20141616Ret**0**
SWE Börge AnderssonHonda2314**0**
BEL Guy CooremansKawasaki14**0**
GBR Roger NicholsSuzuki14**0**
GBR George FogartyCunningham-Suzuki15**0**
FRA Jean-Paul PassetKawasaki15**0**
BEL Jerôme van HaeltertKawasaki15**0**
SWE Sture WassKawasaki15**0**
DEU Hans-Otto ButenuthBMWRet16**0**
CHE Walter RünggAermacchi16Ret**0**
NIR Garry MateerNorton16**0**
AUT Werner BergoldKawasakiRet17**0**
GBR Pete ElmorePetty-Norton17**0**
FRA Jacques RocaSuzuki17**0**
DEU Hans-Jürgen RothbrustYamaha17**0**
DNK Claus TarumHonda17**0**
FIN Anssi ReskoKawasaki18Ret**0**
GBR Tom DickieCowles-Matchless18**0**
DEU Horst DzierzawaYamaha19Ret**0**
GBR Brian LeeAermacchi19**0**
SWE Arne AnderssonSuzuki20**0**
GBR Ken TilleyNorton20**0**
DEU Kurt-Harald FlorinKönig21RetRetRetRet**0**
GBR Roger BowlerMularny21**0**
CHE Werner GigerKawasaki22Ret**0**
GBR Raymond AshcroftYamaha22**0**
GBR Hugh EvansKawasaki23**0**
DEU Udo KochanskiBMW24**0**
GBR Grahan PennyHonda24**0**
DEU Willi BertschKawasaki25Ret**0**
GBR Ken KaySeeley25**0**
SWE Sten-Gunnar JanssonKawasaki26**0**
IOM Fred WaltonVelocette-Metisse26**0**
GBR Ron BaylieTriumph27**0**
GBR Walter DawsonYamaha28**0**
DEU Otto LabitzkeHonda29**0**
GBR Chris NeveSeeley29**0**
GBR Tom LoughridgeCrooks-Suzuki30**0**
NIR Abe AlexanderSeeley31**0**
GBR Jim AshtonSeeley32**0**
GBR Tom WatererNorton33**0**
GBR Ernie JohnsonSuzuki34**0**
GBR Geoff BarryOakley-Seeley35**0**
AUT Karl AuerKawasakiRetRetRetRetRetRetRet**0**
USA Cliff CarrKawasakiRetRetRet**0**
FRA André-Luc AppiettoKawasakiRetRetRet**0**
GBR Godfrey NashHondaRetRetRet**0**
CZE Bohumil StasaČZRetRetRet**0**
FRA Gérard DebrockKawasakiRetRet**0**
NLD Wil HartogRiemanoc / YamahaRetRet**0**
FIN Kari LahtinenYamahaRetRet**0**
GBR Bob BiscardineNortonRet**0**
GBR Jeff BonifaceKettle-NortonRet**0**
AUT Hans BraumandlRotaxRet**0**
AUS Peter BreinganHondaRet**0**
NIR Robert BrowneNortonRet**0**
ITA Paolo CampanelliKawasakiRet**0**
GBR Doug CashNortonRet**0**
FRA Gérard ChamardKawasakiRet**0**
FRA Gérard ChaperonSeeleyRet**0**
GBR Eric ClarkSeeleyRet**0**
AUS John DoddsYamahaRet**0**
GBR Derek FillerSeeleyRet**0**
GBR Dave FoulkesNortonRet**0**
DEU Rudolf FröhlingHondaRet**0**
GBR Bill FultonStafford-MatchlessRet**0**
GBR Roger FursmanSeeleyRet**0**
SCO Alex GeorgeKawasakiRet**0**
CAN Andreas GeorgeadesHonda / ASGRet**0**
GBR Roger GrahamCowles-MatchlessRet**0**
GBR Don GrantNortonRet**0**
GBR Terry GrotefeldYamahaRet**0**
FRA René GuilliKawasakiRet**0**
NIR Billie GuthrieDugdale-YamahaRet**0**
GBR David HarrisYamahaRet**0**
GBR Don HarrisYamahaRet**0**
GBR Keith HecklesNortonRet**0**
FIN Ari HeikkiläAMC-SachsRet**0**
GBR Bill HendersonSeeley-YamahaRet**0**
DEU Gerhard HeukerottBenelliRet**0**
GBR Ivan HodgkinsonGranby-SuzukiRet**0**
DEU Ewald HüttlinKawasakiRet**0**
GBR Tony JefferiesSuzukiRet**0**
DEU Walter KaletschYamahaRet**0**
GBR Brian KempSuzukiRet**0**
GBR Ray KnightHughes-TriumphRet**0**
GBR David KnowlesMatchless-MetisseRet**0**
CZE Jiri KralČZRet**0**
GBR Alan LawtonNortonRet**0**
ITA Mario LegaDucatiRet**0**
FIN Pentti LehteläYamahaRet**0**
ITA Giuseppe MandoliniAermacchiRet**0**
DEU Hans-Josef MartinekČZRet**0**
GBR Malcom MoffattSeeleyRet**0**
GBR Brian MosesNortonRet**0**
GBR Steve MoynihanNortonRet**0**
ZAF Garth NevelingNortonRet**0**
SWE Lars PahlssonSuzukiRet**0**
ITA Giovanni PerroneKawasakiRet**0**
GBR Norman PriceMularny-NortonRet**0**
CZE Eman QuirenzJawaRet**0**
NIR Robert RamseyMatchlessRet**0**
GBR Phil ReadYamahaRet**0**
NIR Dudley RobinsonPadgett-KawasakiRet**0**
GBR Nigel RollasonYamahaRet**0**
FRA Roger RuizHondaRet**0**
SWE Claes-Göran SamuelssonSuzukiRet**0**
GBR Barry SmithKawasakiRet**0**
GBR John StanleySeeleyRet**0**
DEU Wolfgang StephanHondaRet**0**
DEU Peter StocksiefenHondaRet**0**
SWE Anders SundbergKawasakiRet**0**
GBR Roger SutcliffeSuzukiRet**0**
NIR Brian TaggartNortonRet**0**
FRA Thierry TchernineYamahaRet**0**
DEU Jupp TröblingerKönigRet**0**
GBR Dennis TrollopeYamahaRet**0**
NLD Mike van AkenKönigRet**0**
GBR Brian WarburtonYamahaRet**0**
GBR Peter WilliamsArter MatchlessRet**0**
GBR John WilliamsArter MatchlessRet**0**
ITA Benedetto ZambottiKawasakiRet**0**

Bold – Pole

Italics – Fastest Lap |}

1972 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

PlaceRiderNumberCountryMachinePointsWins
1ITA Giacomo Agostini1ItalyMV Agusta1026
2FIN Jarno Saarinen2FinlandYamaha893
3ITA Renzo PasoliniItalyAermacchi780
4FRG Dieter BraunWest GermanyYamaha540
5GBR Phil Read16United KingdomMV Agusta511
6CHE Bruno KneubühlerSwitzerlandYamaha451
7FIN Teuvo Lansivuori10FinlandYamaha420
7HUN János DrapálHungaryYamaha421
9JPN Hideo KanayaJapanYamaha410
10AUS Jack Findlay32AustraliaYamaha410

1972 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

PlaceRiderNumberCountryMachinePointsWins
1FIN Jarno Saarinen3FinlandYamaha944
2ITA Renzo Pasolini28ItalyAermacchi933
3GBR Rodney Gould2United KingdomYamaha882
4GBR Phil Read1United KingdomYamaha582
5FIN Teuvo Lansivuori22FinlandYamaha460
6AUS John Dodds4AustraliaYamaha420
7SWE Kent Andersson14SwedenYamaha390
8SWE Börje JanssonSwedenMaico361
9ITA Silvio Grassetti7ItalyMZ300
10CHE Werner Pfirter20SwitzerlandYamaha280

1972 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

PlaceRiderNumberCountryMachinePointsWins
1ESP Angel Nieto1SpainDerbi975
2SWE Kent Andersson9SwedenYamaha873
3GBR Chas Mortimer5United KingdomYamaha871
4SWE Börje Jansson3SwedenMaico781
5ITA Gilberto Parlotti8ItalyMorbidelli522
6GBR Dave Simmonds6United KingdomKawasaki440
7AUT Harald BartolAustriaSuzuki370
8FRG Dieter Braun4West GermanyMaico250
9NLD Jos SchurgersNetherlandsBridgestone230
10DDR Bernd Köhlar23East GermanyMZ230

1972 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

PlaceRiderNumberCountryMachinePointsWins
1ESP Angel Nieto2SpainDerbi693
2NLD Jan de Vries1NetherlandsKreidler693
3NLD Theo TimmerNetherlandsJamathi501
4NLD Jan Bruins10NetherlandsKreidler391
5ITA Otello BuscheriniItalyMalanca320
6AUT Hans HummelAustriaKreidler260
7AUT Harald BartolAustriaKreidler260
8NLD Jan HubertsNetherlandsKreidler250
9FRG Rudolf Kunz4West GermanyKreidler170
10ESP Benjamin GrauSpainDerbi120

References

  • Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949–2000. Chronosports S.A.

References

  1. (1999). "Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix". Hazleton Publishing Ltd.
  2. (2013). "Continental Circus: The Races and the Places, the People and the Faces : Pictures and Stories from the Early Seventies". Mastix Press.
  3. "Rider Statistics - Jarno Saarinen". MotoGP.com.
  4. Oxley, Mat. (February 2012). "All I ever wanted to do was race". Classic Bike.
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