# 1972 French Grand Prix

The 1972 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Circuit de Charade in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, France on 2 July 1972. It was race 6 of 12 in both the 1972 World Championship of Drivers and the 1972 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.
The Circuit de Charade's natural setting around the base of an extinct volcano created safety concerns due to the dark, volcanic rocks which fell from the mountain onto both sides of the track. Drivers who skirted the track edge would often send rocks flying into the middle of the road and into the way of pursuing competitors. The hazard was highlighted when driver Helmut Marko suffered a career-ending injury during the race, when a stone thrown from Ronnie Peterson's March penetrated his helmet visor and blinded him in the left eye. The rocks also meant that tyre punctures were a perennial hazard on the circuit, as was shown when ten competitors suffered punctures during the race. The French Grand Prix was moved to the new Circuit Paul Ricard for 1973.
Chris Amon achieved the fifth and final pole position of his career and was leading the race in his Matra until a puncture forced him to pit, leaving Jackie Stewart to win in his Tyrrell-Ford. Emerson Fittipaldi finished second, just ahead of a charging Amon, who shattered the circuit's lap record.

## Qualifying
### Qualifying classification

| Pos. | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap | Grid |
| 1 | 9 | Chris Amon | Matra | 2:53.4 | | 1 |
| 2 | 2 | Denny Hulme | McLaren-Ford | 2:54.2 | +0.8 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 | Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell-Ford | 2:55.0 | +1.6 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 | Jacky Ickx | Ferrari | 2:55.1 | +1.7 | 4 |
| 5 | 27 | Tim Schenken | Surtees-Ford | 2:57.2 | +3.8 | 5 |
| 6 | 25 | Helmut Marko | BRM | 2:57.3 | +3.9 | 6 |
| 7 | 7 | François Cevert | Tyrrell-Ford | 2:58.1 | +4.7 | 7 |
| 8 | 1 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Lotus-Ford | 2:58.1 | +4.7 | 8 |
| 9 | 12 | Ronnie Peterson | March-Ford | 2:58.2 | +4.8 | 9 |
| 10 | 26 | Mike Hailwood | Surtees-Ford | 2:58.3 | +4.9 | 10 |
| 11 | 17 | Carlos Pace | March-Ford | 2:58.6 | +5.2 | 11 |
| 12 | 16 | Henri Pescarolo | March-Ford | 2:59.0 | +5.6 | DNS |
| 13 | 28 | Andrea de Adamich | Surtees-Ford | 2:59.1 | +5.7 | 12 |
| 14 | 11 | Brian Redman | McLaren-Ford | 2:59.4 | +6.0 | 13 |
| 15 | 19 | Wilson Fittipaldi | Brabham-Ford | 2:59.5 | +6.1 | 14 |
| 16 | 10 | Rolf Stommelen | Eifelland-Ford | 2:59.6 | +6.2 | 15 |
| 17 | 8 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell-Ford | 2:59.6 | +6.2 | 16 |
| 18 | 20 | Carlos Reutemann | Brabham-Ford | 3:00.7 | +7.3 | 17 |
| 19 | 24 | Reine Wisell | BRM | 3:00.7 | +7.3 | 18 |
| 20 | 30 | Nanni Galli | Ferrari | 3:00.7 | +7.3 | 19 |
| 21 | 23 | Howden Ganley | BRM | 3:02.0 | +8.6 | DNS |
| 22 | 22 | Peter Gethin | BRM | 3:02.8 | +9.4 | DNS |
| 23 | 18 | Graham Hill | Brabham-Ford | 3:03.0 | +9.6 | 20 |
| 24 | 14 | Niki Lauda | March-Ford | 3:03.1 | +9.7 | 21 |
| 25 | 6 | Dave Walker | Lotus-Ford | 3:04.7 | +11.3 | 22 |
| 26 | 15 | Mike Beuttler | March-Ford | 3:05.9 | +12.5 | 23 |
| 27 | 21 | Derek Bell | Tecno | 3:06.9 | +13.5 | DNS |
| — | 5 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise | BRM | no time | | 24 |
| DNQ | 29 | Dave Charlton | Lotus-Ford | 3:11.6 | +18.2 | — |

## Race
### Classification

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| 1 | 4 | Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell-Ford | 38 | 1:52:22.5 | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | 1 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Lotus-Ford | 38 | + 27.7 | 8 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 | Chris Amon | Matra | 38 | + 31.9 | 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 | Eifelland-Ford | 37 | + 1 Lap | 15 | |
| 17 | 27 | Tim Schenken | Surtees-Ford | 36 | + 2 Laps | 5 | |
| 18 | 6 | Dave Walker | Lotus-Ford | 34 | Halfshaft | 22 | |
| 19 | 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 | 25 | Gearbox | 18 | |
| Ret | 17 | Carlos Pace | March-Ford | 18 | Engine | 11 | |
| Ret | 25 | Helmut Marko | BRM | 8 | Driver Injured | 6 | |
| Ret | 14 | Niki Lauda | March-Ford | 4 | Halfshaft | 21 | |
| DNS | 16 | Henri Pescarolo | March-Ford | | Accident | | |
| DNS | 21 | Derek Bell | Tecno | | Transmission | | |
| DNS | 22 | Peter Gethin | BRM | | Accident | | |
| DNS | 23 | Howden Ganley | BRM | | Car raced by Beltoise | | |
| DNQ | 29 | Dave Charlton | Lotus-Ford | | | | |
| Source: ||||||||

## Championship standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 34 |
| 2 | 2 | Jackie Stewart | 21 |
| 1 | 3 | Denny Hulme | 19 |
| 1 | 4 | Jacky Ickx | 16 |
| | 5 | Jean-Pierre Beltoise | 9 |
| Source: ||||
| | Pos | Constructor | Points |
| | 1 | Lotus-Ford | 34 |
| 2 | 2 | Tyrrell-Ford | 27 |
| 1 | 3 | McLaren-Ford | 23 |
| 1 | 4 | Ferrari | 19 |
| | 5 | BRM | 9 |
| Source: ||||
* Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.