Lap Ledger1950–2027 · every championship race

Season · 12 rounds, all run

1972 FIA Formula One World Championship

At 25, Emerson Fittipaldi became the youngest champion to that point — a record held for 33 years.

Rounds
12all run
Drivers' champion
Emerson Fittipaldi61 points
Constructors' champion
Team Lotus61 points
Margin
16over Sir Jackie Stewart

How the title was decided

010203040506070R3R6R9R12614539
Emerson FittipaldiSir Jackie StewartDenny Hulme

The three drivers who finished highest, tracked from the opening round. Before 1991 only a driver's best few results counted, so a line can rise by less than they scored that weekend.

The numbers behind this chart, How the title was decided
How the title was decided
DriverAfter roundPoints
Emerson Fittipaldi26
Emerson Fittipaldi315
Emerson Fittipaldi419
Emerson Fittipaldi528
Emerson Fittipaldi634
Emerson Fittipaldi743
Emerson Fittipaldi843
Emerson Fittipaldi952
Emerson Fittipaldi1061
Emerson Fittipaldi1161
Emerson Fittipaldi1261
Sir Jackie Stewart19
Sir Jackie Stewart29
Sir Jackie Stewart39
Sir Jackie Stewart412
Sir Jackie Stewart512
Sir Jackie Stewart621
Sir Jackie Stewart727
Sir Jackie Stewart827
Sir Jackie Stewart927
Sir Jackie Stewart1027
Sir Jackie Stewart1136
Sir Jackie Stewart1245
Denny Hulme16
Denny Hulme215
Denny Hulme315
Denny Hulme415
Denny Hulme519
Denny Hulme619
Denny Hulme721
Denny Hulme821
Denny Hulme927
Denny Hulme1031
Denny Hulme1135
Denny Hulme1239

Final drivers' standings

Final drivers' standings
PosDriverWinsPointsGap
1Emerson Fittipaldi561—
2Sir Jackie Stewart44516
3Denny Hulme13922
4Jacky Ickx12734
5Peter Revson02338
6Francois Cevert01546
7Clay Regazzoni01546
8Mike Hailwood01348
9Ronnie Peterson01249
10Chris Amon01249
11Jean-Pierre Beltoise1952
12Howden Ganley0457
12Mario Andretti0457
14Brian Redman0457
15Graham Hill0457
16Andrea de Adamich0358
16Carlos Reutemann0358
18Carlos Pace0358
19Tim Schenken0259
20Arturo Merzario0160
20Peter Gethin0160
A driver with points and no position was excluded from the classification: the points stand, the position does not. Wins are counted from the race records, and a shared drive is a win for both of its drivers. The gap is to the highest points total classified, so the leader's own is an em dash; before 1991 it is a difference of net totals, dropped scores and all.

Final constructors' standings

Final constructors' standings
PosConstructorPointsGap
1Team Lotus ford61—
2Tyrrell ford5110
3McLaren ford4714
4Ferrari ferrari3328
5Surtees ford1843
6March ford1546
7BRM brm1447
8Matra matra1249
9Brabham ford754
The gap is to the highest points total classified, so the leader's own is an em dash; before 1991 it is a difference of net totals, dropped scores and all. The championship is contested by a chassis–engine pair, so one name can appear more than once with different engines.

The calendar

  1. R1Argentinerun
  2. R2South Africanrun
  3. R3Spanishrun
  4. R4Monacorun
  5. R5Belgianrun
  6. R6Frenchrun
  7. R7Britishrun
  8. R8Germanrun
  9. R9Austrianrun
  10. R10Italianrun
  11. R11Canadianrun
  12. R12United Statesrun

The outline is F1DB’s, for every layout; the trace is OpenStreetMap’s, where it exists. F1DB, CC BY 4.0 · drawn by Jules Roy.

The calendar
RGrand PrixCircuitDatesWinnerConstructorPoleFastest lap
1Argentine Grand PrixAutodromo Oscar GalvezSir Jackie StewartTyrrellCarlos ReutemannSir Jackie Stewart
2South African Grand PrixKyalamiDenny HulmeMcLarenSir Jackie StewartMike Hailwood
3Spanish Grand PrixCircuito del JaramaEmerson FittipaldiTeam LotusJacky IckxJacky Ickx
4Monaco Grand PrixCircuit de MonacoJean-Pierre BeltoiseBRMEmerson FittipaldiJean-Pierre Beltoise
5Belgian Grand PrixNivelles-BaulersEmerson FittipaldiTeam LotusEmerson FittipaldiChris Amon
6French Grand PrixCharadeSir Jackie StewartTyrrellChris AmonChris Amon
7British Grand PrixBrands HatchEmerson FittipaldiTeam LotusJacky IckxSir Jackie Stewart
8German Grand PrixNurburgring NordschleifeJacky IckxFerrariJacky IckxJacky Ickx
9Austrian Grand PrixRed Bull RingEmerson FittipaldiTeam LotusEmerson FittipaldiDenny Hulme
10Italian Grand PrixAutodromo Nazionale MonzaEmerson FittipaldiTeam LotusJacky IckxJacky Ickx
11Canadian Grand PrixMosport ParkSir Jackie StewartTyrrellPeter RevsonSir Jackie Stewart
12United States Grand PrixWatkins GlenSir Jackie StewartTyrrellSir Jackie StewartSir Jackie Stewart
Two names in one cell is a shared drive: both drivers are classified in that position, and both are winners. Open any round for its full classification.

Who entered

Who entered
ConstructorEntered asChassisDesignsEnginesTyres
BrabhamMotor Racing DevelopmentsBrabham BT33, Brabham BT34, Brabham BT373Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
BrabhamTeam GunstonBrabham BT331Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
BRMMarlboro BRMBRM P160B, BRM P153, BRM P180, BRM P160C4BRM P142 3.0 V12Firestone
ConnewDarnval Connew Racing TeamConnew PC11Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
EifellandTeam Eifelland CaravansEifelland 211Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
FerrariScuderia Ferrari SpA SEFACFerrari 312B21Ferrari 001/1 3.0 F12Firestone
MarchClarke-Mordaunt-Guthrie RacingMarch 721G1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
MarchGene Mason RacingMarch 7111Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
MarchSTP March Racing TeamMarch 721, March 721X, March 721G3Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
MarchTeam Williams MotulMarch 711, March 7212Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
MatraÉquipe Matra SportsMatra MS120C, Matra MS120D2Matra MS72 3.0 V12Goodyear
McLarenYardley Team McLarenMcLaren M19A, McLaren M19C2Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
PolitoysTeam Williams MotulPolitoys FX31Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
SurteesBrooke Bond Oxo Team SurteesSurtees TS9B1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
SurteesCeramica Pagnossin Team SurteesSurtees TS9B1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
SurteesChampcarr Inc.Surtees TS9B1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
SurteesFlame Out Team SurteesSurtees TS9B1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
SurteesTeam GunstonSurtees TS91Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
SurteesTeam SurteesSurtees TS9B, Surtees TS142Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
Team LotusJohn Player Team LotusLotus 72D1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
Team LotusLucky Strike RacingLotus 72D1Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Firestone
TecnoMartini RacingTecno PA123/31Tecno Series-P 3.0 F12Firestone
TyrrellElf Team TyrrellTyrrell 003, Tyrrell 002, Tyrrell 004, Tyrrell 005, Tyrrell 0065Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8Goodyear
Where an entrant ran more than one design, no source records which car raced which round — so those race results carry no chassis.

Photographs

From Wikimedia Commons, each shown with the photographer and licence its terms require.

Lotus 72
Lotus 72
1971 Emerson Fittipaldi, Lotus 72 (kl) · Lothar Spurzem · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Ferrari 312B
Ferrari 312B
Rétromobile 2017 - Ferrari 312 B2 - 1972 - 002 · Thesupermat · CC BY-SA 4.0
Surtees TS9
Surtees TS9
Surtees TS9B Goodwood 2008 · Brian Snelson from Hockley, Essex, England · CC BY 2.0
March 711
March 711
1971 Andrea de Adamich, March, Fuchsröhre · Lothar Spurzem · CC BY-SA 2.0 de · unchecked

A photograph marked unchecked has a file name that does not name the car it is shown for. Most are still the right car, filed under the driver rather than the machine — but nobody has confirmed these one by one.

Where this comes from

Team
Team Lotus
Runner-up
Sir Jackie Stewart — 45
Engine formula
3.0 L naturally aspirated / 1.5 L forced induction
Tyres
Goodyear, Firestone, Dunlop
Entered
44 drivers, 13 constructors, 5 engine makers — counted from the entries, whether or not they started