1972 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 40th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 10 and 11 June 1972. It was the ninth round of the 1972 World Championship for Makes.

Pre-race

The track layout was changed yet again, with a new section of turns being built between Arnage and the Ford chicane for the purposes of bypassing the dangerously fast Maison Blanche and the fast curves through the route up towards Maison Blanche and the pits. The five new turns installed would later become known as the Porsche curves, while at the same time a second chicane was added to the Ford chicane to help with the creation of a new pit lane entrance.

For 1972, 5.0 litre Group 5 cars were banned from the World Championship and thus from Le Mans. The Prototype (Group 6) category became the new Sport (Group 5) category with no minimal production required. This left the game open for the best 3.0L cars with F1-like engines.

In 1971, the best competitor in the 3.0L class was Alfa Romeo who managed to beat the Porsche 917 at three races. Alfa Romeo made the choice to build a new car for 1972. Unusually, the new 33 TT3 was built on a tubular chassis while the previous prototype was a monocoque. Making the new car competitive and competing in both the World championship and Le Mans proved to be too much for the team.

Ferrari and Matra took different approaches. Matra cut down its participation in endurance racing to focus on Le Mans, while Ferrari made the opposite choice preferring to compete for the World Championship and to bypass Le Mans, as the F1 inspired 312 PB was optimized for 1000 km races.

This made Matra the favorite for the 24 hours, with four cars entered – 3 brand new Matra 670, an evolution of the 660 specially constructed and designed to race in Le Mans, and an older but updated 660. They faced an opposition consisting mainly of three Alfa Romeo 33 TT3s, two semi-official Lola T280s entered by Jo Bonnier's team, and one private Porsche 908L enrolled by Reinhold Joest. This car was similar to the Porsche that finished second in 1969 and was considered seriously outdated and underpowered.

Race

The Matra of Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Chris Amon took the lead at start, but broke its V12 at the beginning the third lap. This caused enough consternation among the other Matra drivers to allow the Lolas of Bonnier and Hugues de Fierlant to take the lead. Bonnier was slowed down by a deflated tire and after the first pit stops the two remaining Matra 670s were leading the race again with François Cevert/Howden Ganley on front.

Even if the reliability of the Ford-Cosworth DFV that powered the Lolas was questionable on a 24-hour race, there was some hope for a general failure of the Matras, and Jo Bonnier decided to keep some pressure on. The Lolas were running fast, with Bonnier establishing a new lap record early in the evening. The other Lola broke its gearbox. The works Alfa Romeo team were also in contention; putting pressure on the Matras.

Graham Hill took the lead with his Matra around midnight.

At dawn the Matra 670 swapped their position again. Bonnier's Lola T280 was still there with a surprisingly healthy DFV V8. During the night some race incidents caused unexpected pit stops and the car was only eighth but the F1-inspired Lola was running really fast the early morning. Just before 8:30 a.m., Bonnier's Lola came upon the Ferrari GTB4 of Florian Vetsch before Indianapolis curve. The witnesses are not entirely sure what Bonnier hit first, the Ferrari or the barrier, but the Lola went over the barrier and into the trees killing Bonnier.

This tragedy left the Matras without any serious opposition; and soon after 2 of the 3 Alfas dropped out with gearbox problems. Despite an unscheduled pit stop, the car of Ganley and Cevert was still leading when Ganley got hit in the tail by a Chevrolet Corvette. This gave the lead to Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill. The David Hobbs/Jean-Pierre Jabouille Matra 660 was stopped also with gearbox problems.

The Matra 670 "Short Tail" piloted by Pescarolo and Hill took first place, and the 670 "Long Tail" driven by Cevert and Ganley finished second. This was the first victory of a French car since the Talbot-Lago team's victory in 1950, and made Graham Hill the first, and so far only, driver to win the Triple Crown of the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship.

With such notable results at the top, the third position of the Porsche 908L driven by Reinhold Joest, Michel Weber and Mario Casoni that was mainly the result of careful preparation by Joest and his team was largely unnoticed, yet remarkable.

The Lola T290 entered by Kodak Pathé, France, driven by Barrie Smith and René Ligonnet won the 2 litre class and was the very 1st Lola car to ever finish the 24 hour endurance race at Le Mans.

Official results

Le Mans in 1972

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
1	S 3.0	15	Equipe Matra-Simca Shell	Henri Pescarolo Graham Hill	Matra-Simca MS670	Matra 3.0L V12	344
2	S 3.0	14	Equipe Matra-Simca Shell	François Cevert Howden Ganley	Matra-Simca MS670	Matra 3.0L V12	333
3	S 3.0	60	Jo Siffert A.T.E. Racing	Reinhold Joest Michel Weber Mario Casoni	Porsche 908LH	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	325
4	S 3.0	18	Autodelta SpA	Nino Vaccarella Andrea de Adamich	Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT3	Alfa Romeo 3.0L V8	307
5	GT 5.0	39	Charles Pozzi	Jean-Claude Andruet Claude Ballot-Léna	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	306
6	GT 5.0	74	North American Racing Team (NART)	Sam Posey Tony Adamowicz	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	304
7	GT 5.0	34	Scuderia Filipinetti	Mike Parkes Jean-Louis Lafosse Jean-Jacques Cochet	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	302
8	GT 5.0	36	Ecurie Francorchamps	Derek Bell Teddy Pilette Richard Bond	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	301
9	GT 5.0	38	North American Racing Team (NART)	Jean-Pierre Jarier Claude Buchet	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	297
10	T 3.0	54	Ford Motor Company Deutschland	Gerry Birrell Claude Bourgoignie	Ford Capri 2600RS	Ford 3.0L V6	292
11	T 3.0	52	Ford Motor Company Deutschland	Dieter Glemser Alex Soler-Roig	Ford Capri 2600RS	Ford 3.0L V6	289
12	S 3.0	68	Duckham's Oil Motor Racing	Alain de Cadenet Chris Craft	Duckhams LM (Brabham)	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	288
13	GT 3.0	41	Louis Meznarie	Sylvain Garant Jürgen Barth Michael Keyser	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.5L Flat-6	285
14	S 2.0	27	René Ligonnet - Kodak	René Ligonnet Barrie Smith	Lola T290	Ford Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	284
15	GT +5.0	4	North American Racing Team (NART)	Dave Heinz Robert B. Johnson	Chevrolet Corvette ZL1	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	284
16	GT +5.0	32	Claude Dubois	Jean-Marie Jacquemin Yves Deprez	De Tomaso Pantera	Ford 5.8L V8	282
17	GT 3.0	46	North American Racing Team (NART)	Jean-Pierre Laffeach Gilles Doncieux	Ferrari Dino 246GT	Ferrari Dino 2.4L V6	265
18	S 2.0	24	Wicky Racing Team	Peter Mattli Hervé Bayard Walter Brun	Porsche 907	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	252

Not Classified

Failed to cover 70% of winner's distance (240 laps)

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
19	S 3.0	67	Christian Poirot	Christian Poirot Philippe Farjon	Porsche 908/2	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	206

Did Not Finish

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
20	S 3.0	16	Equipe Matra-Simca Shell	Jean-Pierre Jabouille David Hobbs	Matra-Simca MS660C	Matra 3.0L V12	278
21	S 3.0	5	Escuderia Montjuich	Juan Fernandez Francesco Torredemer Eugenio Baturone	Porsche 908/3	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	?
22	S 3.0	19	Autodelta SpA	Rolf Stommelen Nanni Galli	Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT3	Alfa Romeo 3.0L V8	263
23	S 3.0	6	Hans-Dieter Weigel	Hans-Dieter Weigel Helmuth Krause	Porsche 908/2	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	244
24	GT +5.0	29	Greder Racing Team	Henri Greder Marie-Claude Charmasson	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	235
25	S 3.0	17	Autodelta SpA	Vic Elford Dr. Helmut Marko	Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT3	Alfa Romeo 3.0L V8	232
26	GT 5.0	57	North American Racing Team (NART)	Luigi Chinetti Jr. Masten Gregory	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	226
27	S 3.0	8	Ecurie Bonnier Switzerland	Jo Bonnier Gérard Larrousse Gijs van Lennep	Lola T280	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	213
28	GT 3.0	42	Claude Haldi	Claude Haldi Paul Keller "Gédéhem"	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.5L Flat-6	208
29	GT 5.0	35	Scuderia Filipinetti	Bernard Cheneviére Florian Vetsch Gérard Pillon	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	204
30	S 3.0	22	Automobiles Ligier	Pierre Maublanc Jacques Laffite	Ligier JS2	Maserati 3.0L V6	195
31	GT +5.0	71	Ecurie Léopard	Jean-Claude Aubriet "Depnic" "Sylvain"	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	188
32	S 3.0	65	"Novestille"	Louis Cosson Jean-Louis Ravenel	Porsche 910	Porsche 2.4L Flat-6	188
33	S 3.0	56	Claude Laurent	Claude Laurent Martial Delalande Jacques Marché	Ligier JS2	Maserati 3.0L V6	186
34	GT 3.0	45	Raymond Touroul	"Lee Banner" Domonique Bardini	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.5L Flat-6	183
35	T 3.0	53	Ford Motor Company Deutschland	Jochen Mass Hans Joachim Stuck	Ford Capri 2600RS	Ford 3.0L V6	?
36	S 3.0	76	Jean Egreteaud	Jean-Claude Lagniez Raymond Touroul	Porsche 908/2	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	83
37	GT +5.0	72	John Greenwood Racing	Bernard Darniche Alain Cudini John Greenwood	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	82
38	S 2.0	23	Brian Robinson	Brian Robinson Jean Rondeau	Chevron B21	Ford Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	76
39	T 3.0	49	Team Schnitzer - Motul	Hans Heyer René Herzog	BMW 2800CS	BMW 3.0L I6	70
40	GT 3.0	44	Jean Sage	Jean Sage Georg Loos Franz Pesch	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.5L Flat-6	64
41	GT 5.0	37	Maranello Concessionaires	Peter Westbury John Hine	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	72
42	GT +5.0	28	John Greenwood Racing	John Greenwood Dick Smothers	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	53
43	GT 3.0	80	Porsche Kremer Racing Team	John Fitzpatrick Erwin Kremer Juan Carlos Bolaños	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.5L Flat-6	39
44	GT 3.0	79	Jean-Pierre Gaban	Hermes Delbar Roger van der Schrick	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.4L Flat-6	?
45	GT +5.0	30	Escuderia Montjuich	José Juncadella Fernando de Baviera	De Tomaso Pantera	Ford 5.8L V8	36
46	GT +5.0	31	Escuderia Montjuich	Herbert Müller Cox Kocher	De Tomaso Pantera	Ford 5.8L V8	36
47	S 2.0	69	Michel Dupont	Michel Dupont Jean-Paul Bodin	Chevron B19/21	Ford Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	29
48	T 3.0	84	Shark Team	Jean-Claude Guérie Jean-Pierre Rouget	Ford Capri 2600RS	Ford 3.0L V6	26
49	S 3.0	7	Ecurie Bonnier Switzerland	Hughes de Fierlandt Jorge de Bagration Mário de Araújo Cabral	Lola T280	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	26
50	GT 3.0	40	René Mazzia	Pierre Mauroy Marcel Mignot	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.5L Flat-6	27
51	GT 5.0	75	Charles Pozzi	François Migault Daniel Rouveyran	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	Ferrari 4.4L V12	22
52	S 3.0	58	Bosch Racing Team	Walter Roser Otto Stuppacher	Porsche 908/2	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	11
53	S 3.0	21	Automobiles Ligier	Guy Ligier Jean-François Piot	Ligier JS2	Maserati 3.0L V6	7
54	S +3.0	33	Société Franco-Brittanic	Guy Chasseuil Jean Vinatier	De Tomaso Pantera	Ford 5.8L V8	3
55	S 3.0	12	Equipe Matra-Simca Shell	Jean-Pierre Beltoise Chris Amon	Matra-Simca MS670	Matra 3.0L V12	1

Statistics

• Pole Position - #14 Equipe Matra-Simca Shell - 3:42.02 (137.441 mph/221.189 km/h)
• Fastest Lap - #8 Ecurie Bonnier Switzerland (Gijs Van Lennep) - 3:46.90 (134.532 mph/216.508 km/h)
• Distance - 4691.343 km
• Average Speed - 195.472 km/h (121.461 mph)

Trophy Winners

• Index of Thermal Efficiency - #39 Charles Pozzi