1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing 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.[1] 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.[2] Saarinen also scored a double victory at the Czechoslovak Grand Prix with victories in both the 250cc and 350cc classes.[3] 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.[1]

In the 250cc division, Saarinen would win a tight race in a season-long battle with Renzo Pasolini and Rod Gould.[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 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,[4]

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 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 Report
Sources:[1][5][6]

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 13
17 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 9
22 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 7
26 Ernst Hiller König / Kawasaki 5 Ret Ret 6
André Pogolotti Suzuki 5 Ret Ret 6
Derek Chatterton Yamaha 5 6
29 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 5
35 Alois Maxwald Rotax Ret 7 11 4
Silvano Bertarelli Kawasaki / Paton 7 Ret 4
Selwyn Griffiths Matchless 7 4
38 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 3
43 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 2
47 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 0
58 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 0
63 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 0
69 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 0
73 Guy Cooremans Kawasaki 14 0
Roger Nichols Suzuki 14 0
75 George Fogarty Cunningham-Suzuki 15 0
Jean-Paul Passet Kawasaki 15 0
Jerôme van Haeltert Kawasaki 15 0
Sture Wass Kawasaki 15 0
79 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 0
83 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 0
98 Udo Kochanski BMW 24 0
Grahan Penny Honda 24 0
100 Willi Bertsch Kawasaki 25 Ret 0
101 Ken Kay Seeley 25 0
102 Sten-Gunnar Jansson Kawasaki 26 0
Fred Walton Velocette-Metisse 26 0
104 Ron Baylie Triumph 27 0
105 Walter Dawson Yamaha 28 0
106 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 Stasa ČZ Ret Ret Ret 0
– Gérard Debrock Kawasaki Ret Ret 0
– Wil Hartog Riemanoc-Yamaha Ret Ret 0
– Kari Lahtinen Yamaha Ret Ret 0
– Bob Biscardine Norton Ret 0
– Jeff Boniface Kettle-Norton Ret 0
– Hans Braumandl Rotax Ret 0
– Peter Breingan Honda Ret 0
– Robert Browne Norton Ret 0
– Paolo Campanelli Kawasaki Ret 0
– Doug Cash Norton Ret 0
– Gérard Chamard Kawasaki Ret 0
– Gérard Chaperon Seeley Ret 0
– Eric Clark Seeley Ret 0
– John Dodds Yamaha Ret 0
– Derek Filler Seeley Ret 0
– Dave Foulkes Norton Ret 0
– Rudolf Fröhling Honda Ret 0
– Bill Fulton Stafford-Matchless Ret 0
– Roger Fursman Seeley Ret 0
– Alex George Kawasaki Ret 0
– Andreas Georgeades Honda / ASG Ret 0
– Roger Graham Cowles-Matchless Ret 0
– Don Grant Norton Ret 0
– Terry Grotefeld Yamaha Ret 0
– René Guilli Kawasaki Ret 0
– Billie Guthrie Yamaha Ret 0
– David Harris Yamaha Ret 0
– Don Harris Yamaha Ret 0
– Keith Heckles Norton Ret 0
– Ari Heikkilä AMC-Sachs Ret 0
– Bill Henderson Seeley-Yamaha Ret 0
– Gerhard Heukerott Benelli Ret 0
– Ivan Hodgkinson Granby-Suzuki Ret 0
– Ewald Hüttlin Kawasaki Ret 0
– Tony Jefferies Suzuki Ret 0
– Walter Kaletsch Yamaha Ret 0
– Brian Kemp Suzuki Ret 0
– Ray Knight Hughes-Triumph Ret 0
– David Knowles Matchless-Metisse Ret 0
– Jiri Kral ČZ Ret 0
– Alan Lawton Norton Ret 0
– Mario Lega Ducati Ret 0
– Pentti Lehtelä Yamaha Ret 0
– Giuseppe Mandolini Aermacchi Ret 0
– Hans-Josef Martinek ČZ Ret 0
– Malcom Moffatt Seeley Ret 0
– Brian Moses Norton Ret 0
– Steve Moynihan Norton Ret 0
– Garth Neveling Norton Ret 0
– Lars Pahlsson Suzuki Ret 0
– Giovanni Perrone Kawasaki Ret 0
– Norman Price Mularny-Norton Ret 0
– Eman Quirenz Jawa Ret 0
– Robert Ramsey Matchless Ret 0
– Phil Read Yamaha Ret 0
– Dudley Robinson Padgett-Kawasaki Ret 0
– Nigel Rollason Yamaha Ret 0
– Roger Ruiz Honda Ret 0
– Claes-Göran Samuelsson Suzuki Ret 0
– Barry Smith Kawasaki Ret 0
– John Stanley Seeley Ret 0
– Wolfgang Stephan Honda Ret 0
– Peter Stocksiefen Honda Ret 0
– Anders Sundberg Kawasaki Ret 0
– Roger Sutcliffe Suzuki Ret 0
– Brian Taggart Norton Ret 0
– Thierry Tchernine Yamaha Ret 0
– Jupp Tröblinger König Ret 0
– Dennis Trollope Yamaha Ret 0
– Mike van Aken König Ret 0
– Brian Warburton Yamaha Ret 0
– Peter Williams Arter Matchless Ret 0
– John Williams Arter Matchless Ret 0
– Benedetto Zambotti Kawasaki Ret 0
Pos Rider Bike GER
 FRA
 AUT
 NAC
 MAN
 YUG
 HOL
 BEL
 DDR
 CZE
 SWE
 FIN
 ESP
 Pts
Sources:[1][5][6]

Notes: Clive Brown and Paul Cott set equal times in the 1972 Isle of Man Senior TT and tie for eighth place.

Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points classification
Blue Non-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired, not classified (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 practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

1972 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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

1972 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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

1972 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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

1972 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

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

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  2. ^ Weeink, Frank; Burgers, Jan (2013), Continental Circus: The Races and the Places, the People and the Faces : Pictures and Stories from the Early Seventies, Mastix Press, ISBN 978-90-818639-5-7
  3. ^ "Rider Statistics - Jarno Saarinen". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  4. ^ Oxley, Mat (February 2012). "All I ever wanted to do was race". Classic Bike (385): 78–84. ISSN 0142-890X. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  5. ^ a b "1972 500cc World Championship race results". motogp.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b "1972 500cc World Championship race results". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  • Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949–2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
  • "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 6 July 2010.
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