1972 Australian Grand Prix
The 1972 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race for cars complying with the Tasman Formula, which admitted both Formula 5000 and 2-litre racing cars. The race, which was held at Sandown International Raceway on 20 February 1972, had 19 starters.
1972 Australian Grand Prix | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 7 of 8 in 1972 Tasman Series | |||
Race details | |||
Date | 20 February 1972 | ||
Official name | XXXVII Australian Grand Prix | ||
Location | Sandown Raceway, Melbourne, Victoria | ||
Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
Course length | 3.1 km (1.92 mi) | ||
Distance | 52 laps, 161.2 km (99.84 mi) | ||
Weather | Sunny | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Matich-Repco Holden | ||
Time | 1'01.3 | ||
Fastest lap | |||
Driver |
![]() | Leda-Chevrolet | |
Time | 1'02.4 | ||
Podium | |||
First | Leda-Chevrolet | ||
Second | Lola-Chevrolet | ||
Third | McLaren-Chevrolet |
It was the thirty seventh Australian Grand Prix and doubled as round seven of the 1972 Tasman Series and was held only 3 months after the 1971 race.
Defending winner Frank Matich started the race on pole in his Repco Holden powered Matich A50 which had won the 1971 race on debut. New Zealand's Graham McRae started alongside Matich on the front row in his Leda GM1-Chevrolet.
Matich led from the start but was out after just 5 laps with a failed scavenge pump. McRae recorded the first of three AGP wins (all won at Sandown) by 3 seconds from the Lola T300-Chevrolet of Frank Gardner who had qualified 3rd. British International driver David Hobbs finished 3rd in his McLaren M18/M22-Chevrolet after starting from 4th on the grid.
McRae's win gave him an unassailable lead in the 1972 Tasman Series points table with one round remaining.
Classification
Qualifying
Pos | No | Driver | Car | Qual | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | ![]() |
Matich A50 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:01.3 | — |
2 | 22 | ![]() |
Leda GM1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:01.8 | +0.5 |
3 | 1 | ![]() |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:01.8 | +0.5 |
4 | 10 | ![]() |
McLaren M22 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:02.3 | +1.0 |
5 | 4 | ![]() |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:02.7 | +1.4 |
6 | 29 | ![]() |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:02.8 | +1.5 |
7 | 2 | ![]() |
Surtees TS8A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.0 | +1.7 |
8 | 34 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.2 | +1.9 |
9 | 5 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.5 | +2.2 |
10 | 12 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.9 | +2.6 |
11 | 6 | ![]() |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:04.4 | +3.1 |
12 | 76 | ![]() |
Brabham BT36 / Waggott 2.0L I4 | 1:05.2 | +3.9 |
13 | 28 | ![]() |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:05.3 | +4.0 |
14 | 88 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:06.5 | +5.2 |
15 | 30 | ![]() |
GRD 272 / Hart 2.0L I4 | 1:07.1 | +5.8 |
16 | 7 | ![]() |
Lola T192 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:08.2 | +6.9 |
17 | 17 | ![]() |
Elfin 600B / Waggott 2.0L I4 | 1:08.3 | +7.0 |
18 | 60 | ![]() |
McLaren M10A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:10.2 | +8.9 |
19 | 64 | ![]() |
Mildren (Rennmax) / Waggott 1.9L I4 | 1:11.5 | +10.2 |
Race
Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Laps | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | ![]() |
Leda GM1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 52 | 54m 59.4s |
2 | 1 | ![]() |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 52 | 55m 02.1s |
3 | 10 | ![]() |
McLaren M18/M22 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 52 | 55m 11.8s |
4 | 2 | ![]() |
Surtees TS8A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 51 | |
5 | 12 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 50 | |
6 | 34 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 50 | |
7 | 76 | ![]() |
Brabham BT36 / Waggott 2.0L 4cyl | 50 | |
8 | 60 | ![]() |
McLaren M10A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 49 | |
9 | 28 | ![]() |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 49 | |
10 | 30 | ![]() |
GRD 272 / Hart 2.0L 4cyl | 49 | |
11 | 17 | ![]() |
Elfin 600B / Waggott 2.0L 4cyl | 47 | |
12 | 64 | ![]() |
Mildren (Rennmax) / Waggott 1.9L 4cyl | 44 | |
13 | 88 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 26 | |
Ret | 7 | ![]() |
Lola T192 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 30 | |
Ret | 4 | ![]() |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 19 | engine |
Ret | 6 | ![]() |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 16 | engine |
Ret | 5 | ![]() |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 6 | transmission |
Ret | 3 | ![]() |
Matich A50 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 5 | scavenge pump |
Ret | 29 | ![]() |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 4 | gearbox |
Notes
- Pole Position: Frank Matich – 1:01.3
- Fastest Lap: Graham McRae – 1:02.4
References
- Sergent, Bruce. "1972 Rounds 5–8 Australia". Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
- Wilson, Stewart (1986). "1972". In Howard, Graham (ed.). The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix. Gordon, NSW: R & T Publishing. pp. 362–368. ISBN 0-9588464-0-5.
Preceded by 1971 Australian Grand Prix |
Australian Grand Prix 1972 |
Succeeded by 1973 Australian Grand Prix |