1972 Australian Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 7 of 8 in 1972 Tasman Series | |||
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| 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 |
 Graham McRae | Leda-Chevrolet | |
| Time | 1'02.4 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Leda-Chevrolet | ||
| Second | Lola-Chevrolet | ||
| Third | McLaren-Chevrolet | ||
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.
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 |  Frank Matich |
Matich A50 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:01.3 | — |
| 2 | 22 | Graham McRae |
Leda GM1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:01.8 | +0.5 |
| 3 | 1 | Frank Gardner |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:01.8 | +0.5 |
| 4 | 10 |  David Hobbs |
McLaren M22 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:02.3 | +1.0 |
| 5 | 4 | Bob Muir |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:02.7 | +1.4 |
| 6 | 29 | John McCormack |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:02.8 | +1.5 |
| 7 | 2 | Mike Hailwood |
Surtees TS8A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.0 | +1.7 |
| 8 | 34 | .svg.png){kind=small} Teddy Pilette |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.2 | +1.9 |
| 9 | 5 | Kevin Bartlett |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.5 | +2.2 |
| 10 | 12 | Warwick Brown |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:03.9 | +2.6 |
| 11 | 6 | Max Stewart |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:04.4 | +3.1 |
| 12 | 76 | John Harvey |
Brabham BT36 / Waggott 2.0L I4 | 1:05.2 | +3.9 |
| 13 | 28 | Garrie Cooper |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:05.3 | +4.0 |
| 14 | 88 | Frank Radisich |
McLaren M10B / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 1:06.5 | +5.2 |
| 15 | 30 |  Dave McConnell |
GRD 272 / Hart 2.0L I4 | 1:07.1 | +5.8 |
| 16 | 7 | Colin Hyams |
Lola T192 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:08.2 | +6.9 |
| 17 | 17 | Gary Campbell |
Elfin 600B / Waggott 2.0L I4 | 1:08.3 | +7.0 |
| 18 | 60 | Robbie Francevic |
McLaren M10A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 1:10.2 | +8.9 |
| 19 | 64 | Tony Stewart |
Mildren (Rennmax) / Waggott 1.9L I4 | 1:11.5 | +10.2 |
Race
| Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Laps | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Graham McRae |
Leda GM1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 52 | 54m 59.4s |
| 2 | 1 | Frank Gardner |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 52 | 55m 02.1s |
| 3 | 10 | David Hobbs |
McLaren M18/M22 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 52 | 55m 11.8s |
| 4 | 2 | Mike Hailwood |
Surtees TS8A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 51 | |
| 5 | 12 | Warwick Brown |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 50 | |
| 6 | 34 | Teddy Pilette |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 50 | |
| 7 | 76 | John Harvey |
Brabham BT36 / Waggott 2.0L 4cyl | 50 | |
| 8 | 60 | Robbie Francevic |
McLaren M10A / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 49 | |
| 9 | 28 | Garrie Cooper |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 49 | |
| 10 | 30 | Dave McConnell |
GRD 272 / Hart 2.0L 4cyl | 49 | |
| 11 | 17 | Gary Campbell |
Elfin 600B / Waggott 2.0L 4cyl | 47 | |
| 12 | 64 | Tony Stewart |
Mildren (Rennmax) / Waggott 1.9L 4cyl | 44 | |
| 13 | 88 | Frank Radisich |
McLaren M10B / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 26 | |
| Ret | 7 | Colin Hyams |
Lola T192 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 30 | |
| Ret | 4 | Bob Muir |
Lola T300 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 19 | engine |
| Ret | 6 | Max Stewart |
Elfin MR5 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 16 | engine |
| Ret | 5 | Kevin Bartlett |
McLaren M10B / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 | 6 | transmission |
| Ret | 3 | Frank Matich |
Matich A50 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 | 5 | scavenge pump |
| Ret | 29 | John McCormack |
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. 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 |