1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

1972 F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
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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, taking his seventh consecutive 500cc crown for MV Agusta.[1] Things were tighter in the 350cc class with Jarno Saarinen giving Agostini a strong challenge.[1] In the 250cc division, Saarinen would win a tight race in a season-long battle with Rod Gould and Renzo Pasolini.[1] 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.[1] The Yamaha factory won its first-ever 500cc Grand Prix victory when Chas Mortimer won the 500cc Spanish Grand Prix for the Japanese manufacturer.[2]

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

Round Date Grand Prix Circuit 50cc winner 125cc winner 250cc winner 350cc winner 500cc winner Sidecars 500cc winner Report
1 30 April West Germany German Grand Prix Nürburgring Nordschleife Netherlands Jan de Vries Italy Gilberto Parlotti Japan Hideo Kanaya Finland Jarno Saarinen Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Schauzu / Kalauch Report
2 7 May France French Grand Prix Charade Italy Gilberto Parlotti United Kingdom Phil Read Finland Jarno Saarinen Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Luthringshauser / Cusnik Report
3 14 May Austria Austrian Grand Prix Salzburgring Spain Angel Nieto Sweden Börje Jansson Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Enders / Engelhardt Report
4 21 May Italy Nations Grand Prix Imola Netherlands Jan de Vries Spain Angel Nieto Italy Renzo Pasolini Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Report
5 9 June United Kingdom Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain United Kingdom Chas Mortimer United Kingdom Phil Read Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Schauzu / Kalauch Report
6 18 June Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavian Grand Prix Opatija Netherlands Jan Bruins Sweden Kent Andersson Italy Renzo Pasolini Hungary János Drapál Italy Alberto Pagani Report
7 24 June Netherlands Dutch TT Assen Spain Angel Nieto Spain Angel Nieto United Kingdom Rodney Gould Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Enders / Engelhardt Report
8 2 July Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Spain Angel Nieto Spain Angel Nieto Finland Jarno Saarinen Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Enders / Engelhardt Report
9 9 July East Germany Grand Prix of the DRG Sachsenring Netherlands Theo Timmer Sweden Börje Jansson Finland Jarno Saarinen United Kingdom Phil Read Italy Giacomo Agostini Report
10 16 July Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Brno Sweden Börje Jansson Finland Jarno Saarinen Finland Jarno Saarinen Italy Giacomo Agostini Germany Enders / Engelhardt Report
11 23 July Sweden Swedish Grand Prix Anderstorp Netherlands Jan de Vries Spain Angel Nieto United Kingdom Rodney Gould Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini Report
12 30 July Finland Finnish Grand Prix Imatra Sweden Kent Andersson Finland Jarno Saarinen Italy Giacomo Agostini Italy Giacomo Agostini United Kingdom Vincent / Casey Report
13 23 September Spain Spanish Grand Prix Montjuïc Spain Angel Nieto Sweden Kent Andersson Italy Renzo Pasolini Switzerland Bruno Kneubühler United Kingdom Chas Mortimer Report

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 Bike GER
Germany
FRA
France
AUT
Austria
NAC
Italy
MAN
United Kingdom
YUG
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
DDR
East Germany
CZE
Czech Republic
SWE
Sweden
FIN
Finland
ESP
Spain
Pts
1 Italy Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 1 1 1 1 1 Ret 1 1 1 1 1 1 105 (165)
2 Italy Alberto Pagani MV Agusta 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 87
3 Switzerland Bruno Kneubühler Yamaha 11 4 8 5 Ret 3 4 3 7 Ret 4 54 (57)
4 United Kingdom Rodney Gould Yamaha 3 2 4 2 3 52
5 Sweden Bo Granath Husqvarna 6 6 3 Ret 5 Ret 5 6 7 3 12 Ret 47 (51)
6 United Kingdom Chas Mortimer Yamaha 2 5 Ret 5 Ret 8 Ret 1 42
7 United Kingdom Dave Simmonds Kawasaki 4 Ret 4 Ret 4 5 2 42
8 United Kingdom Billie Nelson Honda / Yamaha / Paton 8 7 Ret Ret 9 8 5 9 4 6 31 (33)
9 Australia Jack Findlay Jada-Suzuki 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 3 31
10 New Zealand Kim Newcombe König 3 10 12 Ret 3 Ret 5 Ret 27
11 Italy Guido Mandracci Suzuki 8 2 Ret 4 10 Ret 24
12 France Christian Bourgeois Yamaha Ret 2 5 Ret 9 20
13 Netherlands Rob Bron Suzuki Ret 3 4 Ret 18
14 Sweden Sven-Olof Gunnarsson Kawasaki 12 Ret Ret Ret 6 6 Ret 5 16
15 United Kingdom Jerry Lancaster Yamaha / Suzuki 15 Ret Ret 9 7 7 11 7 14
16 Germany Paul Eickleberg König 30 3 8 Ret Ret 13
17 United Kingdom Mick Grant Kawasaki 3 10
= Italy Bruno Spaggiari Ducati 3 10
19 Italy Gianpiero Zubani Kawasaki 6 Ret 7 9
20 Italy Sergio Baroncini Ducati 9 7 8 14 9
21 United Kingdom Kevin Cowley Seeley-Matchless 4 8
= Japan Hideo Kanaya Yamaha 4 8
= United Kingdom Paul Smart Ducati 4 8
24 Germany Lothar John Yamaha / Suzuki 10 8 11 10 8 18 10 8
25 Netherlands Piet Van der Wal Kawasaki Ret 13 8 7 7
26 Germany Ernst Hiller König / Kawasaki 5 Ret Ret 6
= France André Pogolotti Suzuki 5 Ret Ret 6
28 United Kingdom Derek Chatterton Yamaha 5 6
29 France Eric Offenstadt Kawasaki / Yamaha Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 5
30 Scotland Charlie Dobson Kawasaki Ret 6 Ret Ret 5
31 Germany Klaus Huber Kawasaki Ret 6 5
32 Finland Pentti Korhonen Yamaha 6 5
= United Kingdom Charlie Williams Yamaha 6 5
34 Sweden Kurt-Ivan Carlsson Yamaha 14 9 Ret 13 12 Ret 10 Ret 9 5
35 Austria Alois Maxwald Rotax Ret 7 11 4
36 Italy Silvano Bertarelli Kawasaki / Paton 7 Ret 4
37 Wales Selwyn Griffiths Matchless 7 4
38 United Kingdom Derek Lee Suzuki Ret Ret 8 Ret 3
39 United Kingdom Clive Brown Suzuki 8 3
= Italy Getulio Marcaccini Aermacchi 8 3
41 Italy Carlo Marelli Paton / Kawasaki 10 9 3
42 Hungary Arpád Juhos Metisse-Matchless / Aermacchi 9 15 2
43 Japan Ken Araoka Kawasaki 9 Ret Ret Ret 2
44 Sweden Johnny Bengtsson Husqvarna-Proto Ret 9 2
45 United Kingdom Paul Cott Seeley 9 2
= Finland Seppo Kangasniemi Yamaha 9 2
47 Italy Roberto Gallina Paton Ret Ret 10 Ret 1
48 United Kingdom Maurice Hawthorne Kawasaki Ret Ret 10 1
49 Austria Josef Özelt Matchless 10 Ret 1
50 Sweden Ulf Nilsson Suzuki 10 1
= United Kingdom Charlie Sanby Suzuki 10 1
52 United Kingdom Ron Chandler Kawasaki 13 Ret 11 0
53 Finland Kai Kuparinen Suzuki / Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 19 11 0
54 Germany Ted Janssen Suzuki 27 Ret 11 0
55 Austria Michael Schmid Yamaha 28 11 Ret 0
56 Australia Terry Dennehy Honda Ret 11 Ret 0
57 Italy Giordano Mongardi Ducati 11 Ret 0
58 France Christian Leon Kawasaki 11 0
= Northern Ireland Billy McCosh Suzuki 11 0
60 Switzerland Gyula Marsovszky Linto Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 0
61 United Kingdom Steve Ellis Yamaha Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
62 Sweden Morgan Radberg Monark Ret 12 0
63 Uruguay Gustavo Cerdeña Suzuki 12 0
= United Kingdom John Hughes Matchless 12 0
= United Kingdom Stan Woods Suzuki 12 0
66 Switzerland Heinz Schmid Suzuki 18 Ret Ret 13 0
67 New Zealand Keith Turner Suzuki 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
68 Switzerland Jean Campiche Linto Ret 13 Ret 0
69 Sweden Agne Carlsson Husqvarna 13 0
= United Kingdom Jeff Wade Yamaha 13 0
71 Finland Kaarlo Koivuniemi Kawasaki 20 14 16 16 Ret 0
72 Sweden Börge Andersson Honda 23 14 0
73 Belgium Guy Cooremans Kawasaki 14 0
= United Kingdom Roger Nichols Suzuki 14 0
75 United Kingdom George Fogarty Cunningham-Suzuki 15 0
= France Jean-Paul Passet Kawasaki 15 0
= Belgium Jerôme van Haeltert Kawasaki 15 0
= Sweden Sture Wass Kawasaki 15 0
79 Germany Hans-Otto Butenuth BMW Ret 16 0
= Switzerland Walter Rüngg Aermacchi 16 Ret 0
81 Northern Ireland Garry Mateer Norton 16 0
82 Austria Werner Bergold Kawasaki Ret 17 0
83 United Kingdom Pete Elmore Petty-Norton 17 0
= France Jacques Roca Suzuki 17 0
= Germany Hans-Jürgen Rothbrust Yamaha 17 0
= Denmark Claus Tarum Honda 17 0
87 Finland Anssi Resko Kawasaki 18 Ret 0
88 United Kingdom Tom Dickie Cowles-Matchless 18 0
89 Germany Horst Dzierzawa Yamaha 19 Ret 0
90 United Kingdom Brian Lee Aermacchi 19 0
91 Sweden Arne Andersson Suzuki 20 0
92 United Kingdom Ken Tilley Norton 20 0
93 Germany Kurt-Harald Florin König 21 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
94 United Kingdom Roger Bowler Mularny 21 0
95 Switzerland Werner Giger Kawasaki 22 Ret 0
96 United Kingdom Raymond Ashcroft Yamaha 22 0
97 United Kingdom Hugh Evans Kawasaki 23 0
98 Germany Udo Kochanski BMW 24 0
= United Kingdom Grahan Penny Honda 24 0
100 Germany Willi Bertsch Kawasaki 25 Ret 0
101 United Kingdom Ken Kay Seeley 25 0
102 Sweden Sten-Gunnar Jansson Kawasaki 26 0
= Isle of Man Fred Walton Velocette-Metisse 26 0
104 United Kingdom Ron Baylie Triumph 27 0
105 United Kingdom Walter Dawson Yamaha 28 0
106 Germany Otto Labitzke Honda 29 0
= United Kingdom Chris Neve Seeley 29 0
108 United Kingdom Tom Loughridge Crooks-Suzuki 30 0
109 Northern Ireland Abe Alexander Seeley 31 0
110 United Kingdom Jim Ashton Seeley 32 0
111 United Kingdom Tom Waterer Norton 33 0
112 United Kingdom Ernie Johnson Suzuki 34 0
113 United Kingdom Geoff Barry Oakley-Seeley 35 0
Austria Karl Auer Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0
United States Cliff Carr Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 0
France André-Luc Appietto Kawasaki Ret Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Godfrey Nash Honda Ret Ret Ret 0
Czech Republic Bohumil Stasa ČZ Ret Ret Ret 0
France Gérard Debrock Kawasaki Ret Ret 0
Netherlands Wil Hartog Riemanoc / Yamaha Ret Ret 0
Finland Kari Lahtinen Yamaha Ret Ret 0
United Kingdom Bob Biscardine Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Jeff Boniface Kettle-Norton Ret 0
Austria Hans Braumandl Rotax Ret 0
Australia Peter Breingan Honda Ret 0
Northern Ireland Robert Browne Norton Ret 0
Italy Paolo Campanelli Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Doug Cash Norton Ret 0
France Gérard Chamard Kawasaki Ret 0
France Gérard Chaperon Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Eric Clark Seeley Ret 0
Australia John Dodds Yamaha Ret 0
United Kingdom Derek Filler Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Dave Foulkes Norton Ret 0
Germany Rudolf Fröhling Honda Ret 0
United Kingdom Bill Fulton Stafford-Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Roger Fursman Seeley Ret 0
Scotland Alex George Kawasaki Ret 0
Canada Andreas Georgeades Honda / ASG Ret 0
United Kingdom Roger Graham Cowles-Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Don Grant Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Terry Grotefeld Yamaha Ret 0
France René Guilli Kawasaki Ret 0
Northern Ireland Billie Guthrie Dugdale-Yamaha Ret 0
United Kingdom David Harris Yamaha Ret 0
United Kingdom Don Harris Yamaha Ret 0
United Kingdom Keith Heckles Norton Ret 0
Finland Ari Heikkilä AMC-Sachs Ret 0
United Kingdom Bill Henderson Seeley-Yamaha Ret 0
Germany Gerhard Heukerott Benelli Ret 0
United Kingdom Ivan Hodgkinson Granby-Suzuki Ret 0
Germany Ewald Hüttlin Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Tony Jefferies Suzuki Ret 0
Germany Walter Kaletsch Yamaha Ret 0
United Kingdom Brian Kemp Suzuki Ret 0
United Kingdom Ray Knight Hughes-Triumph Ret 0
United Kingdom David Knowles Matchless-Metisse Ret 0
Czech Republic Jiri Kral ČZ Ret 0
United Kingdom Alan Lawton Norton Ret 0
Italy Mario Lega Ducati Ret 0
Finland Pentti Lehtelä Yamaha Ret 0
Italy Giuseppe Mandolini Aermacchi Ret 0
Germany Hans-Josef Martinek ČZ Ret 0
United Kingdom Malcom Moffatt Seeley Ret 0
United Kingdom Brian Moses Norton Ret 0
United Kingdom Steve Moynihan Norton Ret 0
South Africa Garth Neveling Norton Ret 0
Sweden Lars Pahlsson Suzuki Ret 0
Italy Giovanni Perrone Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Norman Price Mularny-Norton Ret 0
Czech Republic Eman Quirenz Jawa Ret 0
Northern Ireland Robert Ramsey Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom Phil Read Yamaha Ret 0
Northern Ireland Dudley Robinson Padgett-Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Nigel Rollason Yamaha Ret 0
France Roger Ruiz Honda Ret 0
Sweden Claes-Göran Samuelsson Suzuki Ret 0
United Kingdom Barry Smith Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom John Stanley Seeley Ret 0
Germany Wolfgang Stephan Honda Ret 0
Germany Peter Stocksiefen Honda Ret 0
Sweden Anders Sundberg Kawasaki Ret 0
United Kingdom Roger Sutcliffe Suzuki Ret 0
Northern Ireland Brian Taggart Norton Ret 0
France Thierry Tchernine Yamaha Ret 0
Germany Jupp Tröblinger König Ret 0
United Kingdom Dennis Trollope Yamaha Ret 0
Netherlands Mike van Aken König Ret 0
United Kingdom Brian Warburton Yamaha Ret 0
United Kingdom Peter Williams Arter Matchless Ret 0
United Kingdom John Williams Arter Matchless Ret 0
Italy Benedetto Zambotti Kawasaki Ret 0
Pos Rider Bike GER
Germany
FRA
France
AUT
Austria
NAC
Italy
MAN
United Kingdom
YUG
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
HOL
Netherlands
BEL
Belgium
DDR
East Germany
CZE
Czech Republic
SWE
Sweden
FIN
Finland
ESP
Spain
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not participate (DNP)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

1972 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Italy Giacomo Agostini 1 Italy MV Agusta 102 6
2 Finland Jarno Saarinen 2 Finland Yamaha 89 3
3 Italy Renzo Pasolini Italy Aermacchi 78 0
4 West Germany Dieter Braun West Germany Yamaha 54 0
5 United Kingdom Phil Read 16 United Kingdom MV Agusta 51 1
6 Switzerland Bruno Kneubühler Switzerland Yamaha 45 1
7 Finland Teuvo Lansivuori 10 Finland Yamaha 42 0
7 Hungary János Drapál Hungary Yamaha 42 1
9 Japan Hideo Kanaya Japan Yamaha 41 0
10 Australia Jack Findlay 32 Australia Yamaha 41 0

1972 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Finland Jarno Saarinen 3 Finland Yamaha 94 4
2 Italy Renzo Pasolini 28 Italy Aermacchi 93 3
3 United Kingdom Rodney Gould 2 United Kingdom Yamaha 88 2
4 United Kingdom Phil Read 1 United Kingdom Yamaha 58 2
5 Finland Teuvo Lansivuori 22 Finland Yamaha 46 0
6 Australia John Dodds 4 Australia Yamaha 42 0
7 Sweden Kent Andersson 14 Sweden Yamaha 39 0
8 Sweden Börje Jansson Sweden Maico 36 1
9 Italy Silvio Grassetti 7 Italy MZ 30 0
10 Switzerland Werner Pfirter 20 Switzerland Yamaha 28 0

1972 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Spain Angel Nieto 1 Spain Derbi 97 5
2 Sweden Kent Andersson 9 Sweden Yamaha 87 3
3 United Kingdom Chas Mortimer 5 United Kingdom Yamaha 87 1
4 Sweden Börje Jansson 3 Sweden Maico 78 1
5 Italy Gilberto Parlotti 8 Italy Morbidelli 52 2
6 United Kingdom Dave Simmonds 6 United Kingdom Kawasaki 44 0
7 Austria Harald Bartol Austria Suzuki 37 0
8 West Germany Dieter Braun 4 West Germany Maico 25 0
9 Netherlands Jos Schurgers Netherlands Bridgestone 23 0
10 East Germany Bernd Köhlar 23 East Germany MZ 23 0

1972 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

Place Rider Number Country Machine Points Wins
1 Spain Angel Nieto 2 Spain Derbi 69 3
2 Netherlands Jan de Vries 1 Netherlands Kreidler 69 3
3 Netherlands Theo Timmer Netherlands Jamathi 50 1
4 Netherlands Jan Bruins 10 Netherlands Kreidler 39 1
5 Italy Otello Buscherini Italy Malanca 32 0
6 Austria Hans Hummel Austria Kreidler 26 0
7 Austria Harald Bartol Austria Kreidler 26 0
8 Netherlands Jan Huberts Netherlands Kreidler 25 0
9 West Germany Rudolf Kunz 4 West Germany Kreidler 17 0
10 Spain Benjamin Grau Spain Derbi 12 0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  2. Oxley, Mat (February 2012). "All I ever wanted to do was race". Classic Bike (385): 78–84. ISSN 0142-890X. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
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