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
Giacomo Agostini's reign as the 500cc World Champion continued in 1972 with the MV Agusta rider winning his seventh consecutive title by claiming a record 11 victories in the 13-round series. His record stood until when Mick Doohan won twelve races. Agostini's MV Agusta teammate, Alberto Pagani finished second to Agostini in most of the rounds. By 1972, MV Agusta was the last major manufacturer to compete in the FIM World Championships using four-stroke motorcycles, as advancements in two-stroke engine technology by Japanese manufacturers were becoming evident. Kawasaki returned to the World Championships, providing machines for Dave Simmonds and Eric Offenstadt. 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,
The 350 class proved to be more of a challenge for Agostini where he faced strong opposition from Yamaha rider, Jarno Saarinen. At the season-opening German Grand Prix held at the daunting Nürburgring race track, Saarinen defeated Agostini for the first time in a head-to-head race. It also marked the first time that Agostini had lost a race since the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix. Saarinen also won the 350cc French Grand Prix and scored a double victory at the Czechoslovak Grand Prix with victories in both the 250cc and 350cc classes. Agostini would eventually prevail to clinch the 350 title with six victories however, 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.
The 1972 250cc World Championship began with four different race-winners, (Hideo Kanaya (Yamaha), Phil Read (Yamaha), Börje Jansson (Maico), and Renzo Pasolini (Aermacchi), however Saarinen led Pasolini in the championship points race due to his consistent results. After Barry Sheene was injured at the 250cc Nations Grand Prix, his specially made, factory-supported Yamaha YZ635 was given to Saarinen."Ikuisesti nuori" by Arto Teronen - , p.145 Saarinen rode the special Yamaha to win four of the last six Grand Prix races to clinch the 250cc World Championship by a single point over Pasolini. Angel Nieto claimed a double, winning the 125cc and 50cc championships for Derbi before the Spanish factory announced its withdrawal from Grand Prix racing.
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. On 23 October 1972, Dave Simmonds was killed in a fire caused by an exploding gas cylinder in a caravan owned by fellow racer Jack Findlay while attending a non-championship motorcycle race at Rungis near Paris.
Agostini's Isle of Man TT boycott When Gilberto Parlotti died in an accident while competing in the 1972 Isle of Man TT, Agostini announced he would never again compete in the event, as he considered the 37.73-mile circuit unsafe for world championship competition. At the time, the Isle of Man TT was the most prestigious race on the international motorcycle racing calendar, and his stature as the reigning World Champion gave the announcement an immense impact on the sport.
Agostini's decision to boycott the event had far-reaching consequences for the TT and would lead to a walk-out of the top Grand Prix stars, many of whom resorted to severe criticism of the organisation and safety at the event, with people such as Phil Read in the vanguard of the critics. In response, the FIM decided that the Isle of Man TT would be withdrawn from the World Championship calendar after the 1976 races. The British round of the FIM championship was held at Silverstone Circuit on the mainland from 1977 onwards. Agostini maintained that he did not object to the event itself, but that he only opposed riders being contractually required to enter such a dangerous race as part of a World Championship campaign.
1972 Grand Prix season calendar Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report 1 30 April German Grand Prix Nürburgring Nordschleife Jan de Vries Gilberto Parlotti Hideo Kanaya Jarno Saarinen Giacomo Agostini Schauzu / Kalauch Report 2 7 May French Grand Prix Charade Gilberto Parlotti Phil Read Jarno Saarinen Giacomo Agostini Luthringshauser / Cusnik Report 3 14 May Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring Angel Nieto Börje Jansson Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Enders / Engelhardt Report 4 21 May Nations Grand Prix Imola Jan de Vries Angel Nieto Renzo Pasolini Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Report 5 9 June Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain Chas Mortimer Phil Read Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Schauzu / Kalauch Report 6 18 June Yugoslavian Grand Prix Opatija Jan Bruins Kent Andersson Renzo Pasolini János Drapál Alberto Pagani Report 7 24 June Dutch TT Assen Angel Nieto Angel Nieto Rodney Gould Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Enders / Engelhardt Report 8 2 July Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Angel Nieto Angel Nieto Jarno Saarinen Giacomo Agostini Enders / Engelhardt Report 9 9 July Grand Prix of the DRG Sachsenring Theo Timmer Börje Jansson Jarno Saarinen Phil Read Giacomo Agostini Report 10 16 July Czechoslovak Grand Prix Brno Börje Jansson Jarno Saarinen Jarno Saarinen Giacomo Agostini Enders / Engelhardt Report 11 23 July Swedish Grand Prix Anderstorp Jan de Vries Angel Nieto Rodney Gould Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Report 12 30 July Finnish Grand Prix Imatra Kent Andersson Jarno Saarinen Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini Vincent / Casey Report 13 23 September Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc Angel Nieto Kent Andersson Renzo Pasolini Bruno Kneubühler Chas Mortimer ReportSources:
Final standings
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.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1
500cc final standings Pos Rider Machine GER FRA AUT NAC MAN YUG HOL BEL DDR TCH SWE FIN ESP Pts 1 Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 1 1 1 1 1 1 105 (165) 2 Alberto Pagani MV Agusta 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 87 3 Bruno Kneubühler Yamaha 11 4 8 5 Ret 3 4 3 7 Ret 4 54 (57) 4 Rodney Gould Yamaha 3 2 4 2 3 52 5 Bo Granath Husqvarna 6 6 3 Ret 5 Ret 5 6 7 3 12 Ret 47 (51) 6 Chas Mortimer Yamaha 2 5 Ret 5 Ret 8 Ret 1 42 7 Dave Simmonds Kawasaki 4 Ret 4 Ret 4 5 2 42 8 Jack Findlay Jada-Suzuki 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 3 31 9 Billie Nelson Honda / Yamaha / Paton 8 7 Ret Ret 9 8 5 9 4 6 31 (33) 10 Kim Newcombe König 3 10 12 Ret 3 Ret 5 Ret 27 11 Guido Mandracci Suzuki 8 2 Ret 4 10 Ret 24 12 Christian Bourgeois Yamaha Ret 2 5 Ret 9 20 13 Rob Bron Suzuki Ret 3 4 Ret 18 14 Sven-Olof Gunnarsson Kawasaki 12 Ret Ret Ret 6 6 Ret 5 16 15 Jerry Lancaster Yamaha / Suzuki 15 Ret Ret 9 7 7 11 7 14 16 Paul Eickleberg König 30 3 8 Ret Ret 1317 Mick Grant Kawasaki 3 10 Bruno Spaggiari Ducati 3 10 19 Gianpiero Zubani Kawasaki 6 Ret 7 9 20 Sergio Baroncini Ducati 9 7 8 14 9 21 Lothar John Yamaha / Suzuki 10 8 11 10 8 18 10 922 Kevin Cowley Seeley-Matchless 4 8 Hideo Kanaya Yamaha International 4 8 Paul Smart Ducati 4 8 25 Piet Van der Wal Kawasaki Ret 13 8 7 726 Ernst Hiller König / Kawasaki 5 Ret Ret 6 André Pogolotti Suzuki 5 Ret Ret 6 Derek Chatterton Yamaha 5 629 Eric Offenstadt Kawasaki / Yamaha Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 5 Charlie Dobson Kawasaki Ret 6 Ret Ret 5 Klaus Huber Kawasaki Ret 6 5 Pentti Korhonen Yamaha 6 5 Charlie Williams Yamaha 6 5 34 Kurt-Ivan Carlsson Yamaha 14 9 Ret 13 12 Ret 10 Ret 9 535 Alois Maxwald Rotax Ret 7 11 4 Silvano Bertarelli Kawasaki / Paton 7 Ret 4 Selwyn Griffiths Matchless 7 438 Derek Lee Suzuki Ret Ret 8 Ret 3 Clive Brown Suzuki 8 3 Getulio Marcaccini Aermacchi 8 3 Paul Cott Seeley 8 3 42 Carlo Marelli Paton / Kawasaki 10 9 343 Arpád Juhos Metisse-Matchless / Aermacchi 9 15 2 Ken Araoka Kawasaki 9 Ret Ret Ret 2 Johnny Bengtsson Husqvarna-Proto Ret 9 2 Seppo Kangasniemi Yamaha 9 247 Roberto Gallina Paton Ret Ret 10 Ret 1 Maurice Hawthorne Kawasaki Ret Ret 10 1 Josef Özelt Matchless 10 Ret 1 Ulf Nilsson Suzuki 10 1 Charlie Sanby Suzuki 10 1 52 Ron Chandler Kawasaki 13 Ret 11 0 53 Kai Kuparinen Suzuki / Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 19 11 0 54 Ted Janssen Suzuki 27 Ret 11 0 55 Michael Schmid Yamaha 28 11 Ret 0 56 Terry Dennehy Honda Ret 11 Ret 0 57 Giordano Mongardi Ducati 11 Ret 058 Christian Léon Kawasaki 11 0 Billy McCosh Suzuki 11 0 60 Gyula Marsovszky Linto Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 0 61 Steve Ellis Yamaha Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 62 Morgan Radberg Monark Ret 12 063 Gustavo Cerdeña Suzuki 12 0 John Hughes Matchless 12 0 Stan Woods Suzuki 12 0 66 Heinz Schmid Suzuki 18 Ret Ret 13 0 67 Keith Turner Suzuki 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 68 Jean Campiche Linto Ret 13 Ret 069 Agne Carlsson Husqvarna 13 0 Jeff Wade Yamaha 13 0 71 Kaarlo Koivuniemi Kawasaki 20 14 16 16 Ret 0 72 Börge Andersson Honda 23 14 073 Guy Cooremans Kawasaki 14 0 Roger Nichols Suzuki 14 075 George Fogarty Cunningham-Suzuki 15 0 Jean-Paul Passet Kawasaki 15 0 Jerôme van Haeltert Kawasaki 15 0 Sture Wass Kawasaki 15 079 Hans-Otto Butenuth BMW Ret 16 0 Walter Rüngg Aermacchi 16 Ret 0 81 Garry Mateer Norton 16 0 82 Werner Bergold Kawasaki Ret 17 083 Pete Elmore Petty-Norton 17 0 Jacques Roca Suzuki 17 0 Hans-Jürgen Rothbrust Yamaha 17 0 Claus Tarum Honda 17 0 87 Anssi Resko Kawasaki 18 Ret 0 88 Tom Dickie Cowles-Matchless 18 0 89 Horst Dzierzawa Yamaha 19 Ret 0 90 Brian Lee Aermacchi 19 0 91 Arne Andersson Suzuki 20 0 92 Ken Tilley Norton 20 0 93 Kurt-Harald Florin König 21 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 94 Roger Bowler Mularny 21 0 95 Werner Giger Kawasaki 22 Ret 0 96 Raymond Ashcroft Yamaha 22 0 97 Hugh Evans Kawasaki 23 098 Udo Kochanski BMW 24 0 Grahan Penny Honda 24 0 100 Willi Bertsch Kawasaki 25 Ret 0 101 Ken Kay Seeley 25 0102 Sten-Gunnar Jansson Kawasaki 26 0 Fred Walton Velocette-Metisse 26 0 104 Ron Baylie Triumph 27 0 105 Walter Dawson Yamaha 28 0106 Otto Labitzke Honda 29 0 Chris Neve Seeley 29 0 108 Tom Loughridge Crooks-Suzuki 30 0 109 Abe Alexander Seeley 31 0 110 Jim Ashton Seeley 32 0 111 Tom Waterer Norton 33 0 112 Ernie Johnson Suzuki 34 0 113 Geoff Barry Oakley-Seeley 35 0 – Karl Auer Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 – Cliff Carr Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 0 – André-Luc Appietto Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 0 – Godfrey Nash Honda Ret Ret Ret 0 – Bohumil Staša ČZ Ret Ret Ret 0 – Gérard Debrock Kawasaki Ret Ret 0 – Wil Hartog Riemanoc-Yamaha Ret Ret 0 – Kari Lahtinen Yamaha Ret Ret 0 Pos Rider Bike GER FRA AUT NAC MAN YUG HOL BEL DDR TCH SWE FIN ESP PtsSources: Notes: Clive Brown and Paul Cott set equal times in the 1972 Isle of Man Senior TT and tie for eighth place.Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap
1972 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins1 Giacomo Agostini1 Italy MV Agusta10262 Jarno Saarinen2 Finland Yamaha8933 Renzo Pasolini Italy Aermacchi7804 Dieter Braun West Germany Yamaha5405 Phil Read16 United Kingdom MV Agusta5116 Bruno Kneubühler Switzerland Yamaha4517 Teuvo Lansivuori10 Finland Yamaha4207 János Drapál Hungary Yamaha4219 Hideo Kanaya Japan Yamaha41010 Jack Findlay32 Australia Yamaha410
1972 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings