# 1972 Rothmans F5000 European Championship

The 1972 Rothmans F5000 European Championship was a motor racing series for Formula 5000 cars. The series was organized in the United Kingdom by the British Racing and Sports Car Club but also included rounds in Belgium and Ireland. It was the fourth European Formula 5000 Championship, and the second to be contested under the Rothmans F5000 European Championship name. The championship was won by Gijs van Lennep, driving a Surtees TS11 and a McLaren M18.

## Calendar

The championship was contested over fourteen rounds.
| Round | Name | Circuit | Date | Winning driver | Car |
| 1 | Brands Hatch Rothmans F5000 | Brands Hatch | 18 March | Brian Redman | McLaren M10B Chevrolet |
| 2 | Mallory Park Rothmans F5000 | Mallory Park | 26 March | Alan Rollinson | Lola T300 Chevrolet |
| 3 | Snetterton Rothmans F5000 | Snetterton | 31 March | Gijs van Lennep | Surtees TS11 Chevrolet |
| 4 | Brands Hatch Rothmans F5000 | Brands Hatch | 3 April | Graham McRae | Leda GM1 Chevrolet |
| 5 | Trophée de la Mer | Nivelles | 9 April | Graham McRae | Leda GM1 Chevrolet |
| 6 | GKN Vanwall Trophy | Silverstone | 22 April | Graham McRae | Leda GM1 Chevrolet |
| 7 | Dublin Grand Prix | Mondello Park | 30 April | Brian Redman | McLaren M10B Chevrolet |
| 8 | Oulton Park Rothmans F5000 | Oulton Park | 29 May | Brian Redman | Chevron B24 Chevrolet |
| 9 | Mallory Park Rothmans F5000 | Mallory Park | 18 June | Steve Thompson | Surtees TS8 Chevrolet |
| 10 | Charles Heidsieck Challenge Trophy | Brands Hatch | 13 July | Graham McRae | McRae GM1 Chevrolet |
| 11 | Silverstone Rothmans F5000 | Silverstone | 6 August | Gijs van Lennep | Surtees TS11 Chevrolet |
| 12 | Brands Hatch Rothmans F5000 | Brands Hatch | 24 September | Alan Rollinson | Lola T300 Chevrolet |
| 13 | Oulton Park Rothmans F5000 | Oulton Park | 14 October | Graham McRae | McRae GM1 Chevrolet |
| 14 | Brands Hatch Rothmans F5000 | Brands Hatch | 21 October | Brian Redman | Chevron B24 Chevrolet |

## Points system

Championship points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis for the first six places at each of the first thirteen rounds and on an 18-12-10-8-6-4-2 basis for the first six places at the final round.

## Championship standings

| Position | Driver | Car | Entrant | Points |
| 1 | Gijs van Lennep | Surtees TS11 Chevrolet McLaren M18 Chevrolet | Speed International Racing | 65 |
| 2 | Brian Redman | McLaren M10B Chevrolet Chevron B24 Chevrolet | Sid Taylor | 61 |
| 3 | Graham McRae | Leda GM1 Chevrolet McRae GM1 Chevrolet | Crown Lynn Potteries | 57 |
| 4 | Alan Rollinson | Lola T300 Chevrolet Kitchmac Chevrolet | Alan McKenchnie Racing | 51 |
| 5 | Teddy Pilette | McLaren M18 Chevrolet McLaren M22 Chevrolet | Racing Team VDS | 25 |
| 6 | Ray Allen | McLaren M18 Chevrolet Surtees TS11 Chevrolet | Speed International Racing | 23 |
| 7 | Steve Thompson | Surtees TS8 Chevrolet | Alan Brodie | 19 |
| 8 | Keith Holland | McLaren M10B Chevrolet | | 16 |
| 9 | John Cannon | March 725 Oldsmobile | | 15 |
| 10 | Frank Gardner | Lola T330 Chevrolet | Lola Cars | 8 |
| 11 | Ian Ashley | Lola T190 Chevrolet | Rocky Plumridge | 6 |
| = | David Prophet | McLaren M18 Chevrolet McLaren M10B Chevrolet | Speed International Racing | 6 |
| 13 | Clive Santo | McLaren M10B Chevrolet | | 5 |
| 14 | Gordon Spice | Kitchmac Chevrolet | | 4 |
| 15 | Fred Saunders | Crosslé 15F Rover | Mermaid Racing | 3 |
| 16 | Guy Edwards | McLaren M10B Chevrolet | John Butterworth | 2 |
| = | Pierre Soukry | McLaren M10B Chevrolet | | 2 |
| = | Roger Williamson | Kitchmac Chevrolet | | 2 |
| 19 | Ray Calcutt | McLaren M18 Chevrolet | Speed International Racing | 1 |