Ready to race
After the briefing, drivers walk down the starting grid to climb into their cars (picture above), ahead of the start of the 1972 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. One can recognise from left to right: Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Reine Wisell (green helmet), both BRM drivers, then Ronnie Peterson, a factory March driver, Howden Ganley (with helmet) another BRM driver, and behind them, François Cevert, a Tyrrell driver. Surprisingly, the best qualifier of these five drivers, was Swede Reine Wisell, who qualified his BRM in tenth.
The 1972 Italian Grand Prix was round 10 of 12 in both World Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championship. On this very fast circuit, cars fitted with 12-cylinder engines had an advantage; Jacky Ickx (Ferrari) on pole, and Chris Amon (Matra) logically shared the front row (picture below), but both cars were forced to retire in the race, because of technical problems.
The 55-lap race was won by Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi driving a Lotus 72-Ford, after he started from sixth position. With the win, Fittipaldi sealed the Drivers’ Championship, becoming the youngest ever champion at 25 years and 273 days, until superseded by Fernando Alonso at 24 years and 59 days in 2005. The race marked the last victory for tyre manufacturer Firestone in Formula One.
