The French Grand Prix was the sixth race of the 1972 season, and returned to the Charade Circuit, near Clermont-Ferrand. In a race dominated by stones thrown onto the track by the cars, Jackie Stewart drove a careful race and inherited the win, ahead of Emerson Fittipaldi. Pole sitter and front runner Chris Amon lost almost a lap from a flat tire caused by the stones, but recovered at a furious pace to finish third, setting fastest lap along the way. Early in the race, Helmut Marko was hit in the eye by a stone kicked up by Emerson Fittipaldi, and lost most of his sight in that eye, ending his driving career.
Background[]
The Charade circuit had an unusual element of danger attached. It was built around an extinct volcano, and a large number of small (but very hard and sharp) igneous rocks were used for the foundation of the roads. As the cars got wider, it became increasingly common for a driver to put a wheel into the rocks, flinging a number of them onto the track and at following cars. The large number of flat tires, lack of run off room, and Marko's injury, all combined to ensure that this was the final Formula One race at the circuit.
There was another very large entry of 29 cars, and since only 24 would be allowed to start, some folks would be going home unhappy. Because of the cancellation of the Dutch GP, there had been a four week gap since Belgium, and a number of teams had modified their cars.
The Formula One world was also saddened by the death of Jo Bonnier, who had been killed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three weeks earlier.
- Brabham: Carlos Reutemann's car was fitted with a revised rear suspension, in anticipation of a new model of Hewland gearbox (which had not yet arrived). All three cars had their rear wings moved further back.
- BRM: the car of Jean-Pierre Beltoise had been fitted with P180 front and rear suspension, giving the car a 5cm wider track. The car was designated a P160C, even though it was one of the P160B chassis. The team felt this move would allow them to evaluate the suspension independently, helping to sort the P180s.
- Ferrari: Mario Andretti was at the USAC Pocono 500, and Clay Regazzoni had suffered a broken wrist in a soccer match. So the team obtained Nanni Galli on loan from Tecno. Since Belgium, the cars had had their rear suspensions modified, and the rear wings moved further back. Jacky Ickx decided that the spare car was better suited for the circuit, and drove it in the race.
- Lotus: The cars all had the rear wings mounted atop the oil tank, with the oil radiators on either side of the tank, further improving the airflow.
- Dave Charlton showed up once again with his 72D having all of the latest bells and whistles. This would be one of three European races contested by Charlton.
- March: In the four weeks since Nivelles, the team retired the 721X cars, and built their own 721Gs, similar to Mike Beuttler's car. But the team claimed that they had made 43 improvements to the original design. And the experimenting continued: Ronnie Peterson's car had an aluminum rear wing, whereas Niki Lauda's car had one made of fiberglass.
- Matra: Now that Le Mans was over with, the factory could pay some attention to the F1 team. They arrived with a brand new MS120D chassis, looking much smoother and efficient than the previous cars. Chris Amon was obviously pleased with it, and spent much of the weekend showing the field that the old spark was still there.
- McLaren: Peter Revson was at the USAC race, so once again the team welcomed Brian Redman in his stead. The cars had their rear wings moved further back, on very sturdy supports. The oil tanks were now mounted between the rear bulkhead and the engine, and the oil coolers were mounted lower next to the gearbox. There were some tweaks to the suspension, too.
- Tecno: With Nanni Galli at Ferrari this weekend, Derek Bell was given a shot. This was the second chassis built, and with it Galli had finished third (out of seven starters!) at the non-championship race at Vallelunga.
- Tyrrell: Jackie Stewart returned to the team, looking rested and fitter than he had for a while. For the second time in less than two years, the team startled the paddock by arriving with an unsuspected brand new design. Chassis 005 was a major upgrade on the 001 series. The full width nose was lower, except for the section just in front of the tires, but still enclosed the water radiator. The chassis was rectangular, as apposed to the bulbous oval of the 001 series. On either side of the driver were inlet ducts, like the Lotus 72, but these were for the oil radiators. The bodywork continued on a gentle upward slope until the very rear of the car, and the rear wing had a fairing that continued back from the engine airbox. The whole effect was very neat and aerodynamic, with the bodywork covering almost all of the car. Since Stewart was still on the mend, he stuck with his normal 003 car, and 005 was entrusted to François Cevert in his homeland. In addition, the team entered promising Formula 2 driver Patrick Depailler in 004, and Cevert's old 002 chassis was kept as the spare. Unfortunately, Cevert would have to resort to the spare, when he crashed the new car in the first session, after breaking the lap record.
Entry list[]
The full entry list for the 1972 French Grand Prix is outlined below:
Practice Overview[]
In Friday and Saturday's timed practice, Chris Amon proved dominant in his Matra MS120D, securing pole position with a lap time of 2:53.4, over 2.5 seconds faster than second-placed Denny Hulme in the McLaren M19A. Amon’s pace around the 8.055 km (5.005 mi) circuit was unmatched, thanks in part to Matra’s powerful V12 engine, which thrived at altitude and in the fast sweeping curves of Charade.
Several drivers experienced difficulties during practice. Jackie Stewart, suffering from a stomach illness, was off pace in his Tyrrell, while Emerson Fittipaldi, the championship leader in the Lotus 72D, struggled with handling issues and could only manage 7th on the grid. The volcanic rock and grit scattered across the track also posed a serious hazard — Andrea de Adamich suffered a windscreen smash due to a flying stone, a common danger at Charade.
Tire wear and stone damage were recurring concerns, with teams scrambling to adapt their setups to the undulating terrain. Despite the challenges, the grid was set with a mix of V12 and V8-powered cars, foreshadowing a technical battle on race day.
Qualifying[]
Friday Qualifying[]
Amon clocked an impressive lap time of 2:53.4, establishing himself as the early favorite for pole position. His lap was over two seconds quicker than nearest rival Denny Hulme in the McLaren M19A. Amon’s time would ultimately not be beaten over the course of the weekend.
The session was notable for several off-track excursions and mechanical issues. The narrow circuit—with almost no run-off—punished even minor mistakes. Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari 312B2 and Jackie Stewart in the Tyrrell 003 both struggled with handling and balance, failing to challenge the front-runners. Stewart, notably unwell with a stomach virus, lacked his usual sharpness.
Further down the order, Emerson Fittipaldi, the championship leader driving for Lotus, experienced handling problems and struggled to get the Lotus 72D dialed in, ending Friday outside the top five. The combination of abrasive volcanic rocks and constant right-hand corners also began to reveal concerns over tyre degradation and windscreen damage from flying stones, a unique and dangerous feature of the Charade circuit.
Saturday Qualifying[]
Chris Amon’s blistering Friday lap of 2:53.4 in the Matra MS120D remained unbeaten, earning him a dominant pole position—his first of the season and Matra’s only pole in Formula One. Amon focused on race setup during Saturday's running, confident in his pace and the Matra V12’s power on the uphill sections.
Behind Amon, Denny Hulme held onto second place in the McLaren M19A, while Jacky Ickx improved slightly in the Ferrari 312B2 to line up third. Jackie Stewart, still battling illness, failed to make a significant improvement and qualified further down the grid than usual in his Tyrrell 003. Meanwhile, Emerson Fittipaldi, the championship leader, managed a modest gain but remained off the front row in his Lotus 72D, qualifying seventh.
Saturday's session saw multiple incidents due to the track’s treacherous layout and loose volcanic stones. Several drivers, including Mike Hailwood and Peter Revson, suffered cracked windscreens from flying debris, a well-known hazard at Charade. Teams continued to grapple with tyre wear and chassis balance, particularly on the right-hand side, as the track’s layout placed heavy strain on that side of the car.
Despite attempts by rivals to challenge Amon’s benchmark, no one came close, solidifying his place at the front of the grid for Sunday’s race. His commanding qualifying performance raised hopes for Matra’s long-awaited Grand Prix breakthrough—though doubts lingered over the car’s reliability over race distance.
Qualifying Results[]
The full qualifying results for the 1972 French Grand Prix are outlined below:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | P2 | P3 | |||||
| 1 | 9 |  Chris Amon
|
 Matra
|
2:56.7 | 2:54.7 | 2:53.4 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Denny Hulme
|
 McLaren-Ford Cosworth
|
2:55.6T | 2:59.7 | 2:54.2 | +0.8s |
| 3 | 4 | Jackie Stewart
|
Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth
|
2:55.8 | 2:55.0 | 2:55.3 | +1.6s |
| 4 | 3 |  Jacky Ickx
|
 Ferrari
|
2:56.8 | 2:57.7T | 2:55.1T | +1.7s |
| 5 | 27 |  Tim Schenken
|
Surtees-Ford Cosworth
|
3:04.6 | 2:59.6 | 2:57.2 | +3.8s |
| 6 | 25 |  Helmut Marko
|
BRM
|
3:02.0 | 2:58.8 | 2:57.3 | +3.9s |
| 7 | 7T | François Cevert
|
Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth
|
3:32.6 | 2:58.1 | 3:16.8 | +4.7s |
| 8 | 1 |  Emerson Fittipaldi
|
Lotus-Ford Cosworth
|
3:02.1 | 2:58.1 | 2:58.1T | +4.7s |
| 9 | 12 |  Ronnie Peterson
|
March-Ford Cosworth
|
3:04.8 | 3:03.5 | 2:58.2 | +4.8s |
| 10 | 26 | Mike Hailwood
|
Surtees-Ford Cosworth
|
3:01.7 | 2:58.6 | 2:58.3 | +4.9s |
| 11 | 17 | Carlos Pace
|
March-Ford Cosworth
|
3:01.0 | 2:59.0 | 2:58.6 | +5.2s |
| 12* | 16 | Henri Pescarolo
|
March-Ford Cosworth
|
3:01.7 | 2:59.0 | 2:59.9 | +5.6s |
| 13 | 28 | Andrea de Adamich
|
Surtees-Ford Cosworth
|
3:02.1 | 2:59.1 | 3:01.0 | +5.7s |
| 14 | 11 | Brian Redman
|
McLaren-Ford Cosworth
|
3:04.3 | 3:00.8 | 2:59.4 | +6.0s |
| 15 | 19 | Wilson Fittipaldi
|
Brabham-Ford Cosworth
|
3:02.4 | 2:59.5 | 3:22.3 | +6.1s |
| 16 | 10 |  Rolf Stommelen
|
Eifelland-Ford Cosworth
|
2:59.8 | 2:59.6 | 3:00.4 | +6.2s |
| 17 | 8 | Patrick Depailler
|
Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth
|
3:01.6 | 2:59.6 | 3:02.2 | +6.2s |
| 18 | 20 |  Carlos Reutemann
|
Brabham-Ford Cosworth
|
3:00.7 | 3:03.8 | 3:11.7 | +7.3s |
| 19 | 24 | Reine Wisell
|
BRM
|
3:08.3 | 3:02.9 | 3:00.7 | +7.3s |
| 20 | 30 | Nanni Galli
|
Ferrari
|
3:02.0 | 3:03.8 | 3:00.7 | +7.3s |
| 21* | 23 | Howden Ganley
|
BRM
|
3:07.9 | 3:02.2 | 3:02.0 | +8.6s |
| 22* | 22 | Peter Gethin
|
BRM
|
3:13.1 | 3:02.8 | 4:47.3 | +9.4s |
| 23 | 18 | Graham Hill
|
Brabham-Ford Cosworth
|
3:03.0 | 3:03.8 | 3:04.2 | +9.6s |
| 24 | 14 | Niki Lauda
|
March-Ford Cosworth
|
3:06.6 | 3:03.1 | — | +9.7s |
| 25 | 6 | Dave Walker
|
Lotus-Ford Cosworth
|
3:06.2 | 3:04.7 | — | +11.3s |
| 26 | 15 | Mike Beuttler
|
March-Ford Cosworth
|
3:15.3 | 3:08.1 | 3:05.9 | +12.5s |
| 27* | 21 | Derek Bell
|
Tecno
|
3:06.9 | 3:07.5 | 3:07.3 | +13.5s |
| DNQ | 29 |  Dave Charlton
|
Lotus-Ford Cosworth
|
3:38.2 | 3:20.2 | 3:11.6 | +18.2s |
| EX† | 5 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise
|
BRM
|
3:00.4 | 2:59.2 | 3:00.8 | — |
- Bold indicates the driver's best/qualifying time.
- T Indicates a driver using their test/spare car to set their best time in this session.
- * Pescarolo, Ganley, Gethin, and Bell had failed to take the start on the grid.
- † Beltoise's time were excluded from the results as he had started at the back of the grid.
Grid[]
Race[]
Chris Amon started from pole position in the Matra MS120D, having dominated both qualifying sessions with a commanding pace. At the drop of the flag, Amon made a clean getaway and quickly established a lead over Denny Hulme (McLaren) and Jacky Ickx (Ferrari). Hulme briefly held second but was soon passed by the fast-starting Emerson Fittipaldi, who had made progress from seventh on the grid. Despite the Matra’s pace, Amon’s lead was never entirely comfortable, as Fittipaldi, now free from traffic, began to close the gap. The treacherous Charade circuit, filled with elevation changes and little margin for error, was causing consistent tyre wear and mechanical strain across the field. Meanwhile, drivers had to deal with an ever-present hazard: volcanic stones from the circuit surface being flung up and smashing windscreens and goggles.
By mid-distance, Amon was still leading, with Fittipaldi trailing, followed by Ickx and Hulme. On lap 19, disaster struck. A stone punctured Amon's left rear tyre, causing a slow deflation. Unaware of the puncture at first, Amon continued briefly before being forced to pit. The delay dropped him well down the order, effectively ending his chances for a long-awaited maiden victory. It was yet another cruel blow in Amon’s career, notorious for its mechanical failures and bad luck despite his talent. With Amon out of contention, Emerson Fittipaldi inherited the lead. The Brazilian drove a measured, intelligent race in his Lotus 72D, managing both tyres and car through the circuit’s constant right-hand corners. Fittipaldi’s consistency and mechanical sympathy paid off, and he began to build a comfortable lead. His only serious threat came briefly from Jacky Ickx, who tried to mount a challenge but was held back by understeer and fading brakes in his Ferrari 312B2. Further down the field, François Cevert (Tyrrell) was quietly moving up the order after a poor qualifying performance, while Mike Hailwood (Surtees) also drove impressively, keeping his V8-powered car competitive on a circuit favoring V12s.
As the race progressed, the circuit’s debris continued to play a defining role. Multiple drivers, including Jackie Stewart, suffered cracked visors or damaged bodywork from flying stones. Helmut Marko, driving for BRM, had a piece of rock penetrate his visor and permanently blinded him in his left eye, an injury that ended his racing career immediately. The incident, though largely overlooked at the time, would later spark safety concerns about racing on such unforgiving road courses. By the final laps, retirements had thinned the field significantly. Mechanical failures, punctures, and driver fatigue took their toll, leaving only 13 classified finishers from a starting field of 22.
After 38 laps, Emerson Fittipaldi crossed the line to take victory—his fourth win of the 1972 season—cementing his lead in the World Championship and Lotus’s position atop the Constructors' standings. Jacky Ickx finished second, over 27 seconds behind, while Denny Hulme completed the podium in third.
François Cevert came home fourth after an impressive climb through the field, followed by Mike Hailwood in fifth. A disappointed Chris Amon, who had rejoined after his puncture, recovered to finish sixth, salvaging a single point but little satisfaction from another race that had slipped through his fingers.
Aftermath[]
Fittipaldi’s win gave him a commanding lead in the Drivers’ Championship, as rivals Stewart and Ickx struggled to keep pace. The Charade circuit, despite its scenic beauty and technical challenge, drew criticism for safety issues, particularly following the Marko incident. It would never host a Formula One Grand Prix again, with future French GPs moving to the newly built Circuit Paul Ricard.
Results[]
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Jackie Stewart
|
Tyrrell-Ford | 38 | 1:52:21.5 | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | 1 |  Emerson Fittipaldi
|
Lotus-Ford | 38 | +27.7 | 8 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 | Chris Amon
|
Matra | 38 | +32.1 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | 7 | François Cevert
|
Tyrrell-Ford | 38 | +49.3 | 7 | 3 |
| 5 | 12 | Ronnie Peterson
|
March-Ford | 38 | +56.8 | 9 | 2 |
| 6 | 26 | Mike Hailwood
|
Surtees-Ford | 38 | +1:36.1 | 10 | 1 |
| 7 | 2 | Denny Hulme
|
McLaren-Ford | 38 | +1:48.1 | 2 | |
| 8 | 19 | Wilson Fittipaldi
|
Brabham-Ford | 38 | +2:25.1 | 14 | |
| 9 | 11 | Brian Redman
|
McLaren-Ford | 38 | +2:55.5 | 13 | |
| 10 | 18 | Graham Hill
|
Brabham-Ford | 38 | +2:59.5 | 20 | |
| 11 | 3 | Jacky Ickx
|
Ferrari | 37 | +1 Lap | 4 | |
| 12 | 20 | Carlos Reutemann
|
Brabham-Ford | 37 | +1 Lap | 17 | |
| 13 | 30 | Nanni Galli
|
Ferrari | 37 | +1 Lap | 19 | |
| 14 | 28 | Andrea de Adamich
|
Surtees-Ford | 37 | +1 Lap | 12 | |
| 15 | 5 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise
|
BRM | 37 | +1 Lap | 24 | |
| 16 | 10 | Rolf Stommelen
|
March-Ford | 37 | +1 Lap | 15 | |
| 17 | 27 | Tim Schenken
|
Surtees-Ford | 36 | +2 Laps | 5 | |
| Ret | 6 | Dave Walker
|
Lotus-Ford | 34 | Transmission | 22 | |
| Ret | 15 | Mike Beuttler
|
March-Ford | 33 | Out of fuel | 23 | |
| NC | 8 | Patrick Depailler
|
Tyrrell-Ford | 33 | +5 Laps | 16 | |
| Ret | 24 | Reine Wisell
|
BRM | 26 | Gearbox | 18 | |
| Ret | 17 | Carlos Pace
|
March-Ford | 19 | Engine | 11 | |
| Ret | 25 | Helmut Marko
|
BRM | 8 | Eye injury | 6 | |
| Ret | 14 | Niki Lauda
|
March-Ford | 4 | Driveshaft | 21 | |
| DNS | 16 | Henri Pescarolo
|
March-Ford | Accident | |||
| DNS | 25 | Howden Ganley
|
BRM | Accident | |||
| DNS | 22 | Peter Gethin
|
BRM | Accident |
Milestones[]
- First race for Patrick Depailler
- Final race for Helmut Marko
- 20th victory for Jackie Stewart
Standings after race[]
References[]
- Pritchard, Anthony (1973). The Motor Racing Year No4. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.. pp. 81-90. ISBN 0-393-08677-1.
| V T E | French Grand Prix
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Circuits | Le Mans (1906, 1921, 1929) Dieppe (1907-1908, 1912) Amiens (1913) Lyon (1914, 1924) Strasbourg (1922) Tours (1923) Montlhéry (1925, 1927, 1931, 1933-1937) Reims-Gueux (1932, 1938-1939, 1948–1951, 1953–1954, 1956, 1958–1961, 1963, 1966) Lyon-Parilly (1947) Rouen-Les-Essarts (1952, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1968) Charade Circuit (1965, 1969–1970, 1972) Bugatti Circuit (1967) Circuit Paul Ricard (1971, 1973, 1975–1976, 1978, 1980, 1982–1983, 1985–1990, 2018–2019, 2021-2022) Dijon-Prenois (1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984) Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours (1991–2008) |
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