1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
# 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 24th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 30 April, with West German Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 23 September.

## Season summary

Another year, another championship for Giacomo Agostini, claiming a record 11 victories to take his seventh consecutive 500cc crown for MV Agusta. Things were tighter in the 350cc class with Jarno Saarinen giving Agostini a strong challenge by winning three races, including a victory at the German Grand Prix held at the daunting Nürburgring race track, where Saarinen defeated Agostini for the first time in a head-to-head race. Saarinen also scored a double victory at the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix with victories in both the 250cc and 350cc classes. The threat from Saarinen's two stroke Yamaha was so strong that the previously dominant MV Agusta factory was forced to produce a new 350cc motorcycle for Agostini.

In the 250cc division, Saarinen would win a tight race in a season-long battle with Renzo Pasolini and Rod Gould. Angel Nieto claimed a double, winning the 125cc and 50cc championships for Derbi before the Spanish factory announced its pull out from Grand Prix racing. The Yamaha factory won its first-ever 500cc Grand Prix race at the season ending Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama when Chas Mortimer won the race after Agostini sat out the event after already winning the championship,

This would be the final season for the East German Grand Prix as a championship race, as SED officials, troubled by fans singing Das Lied der Deutschen (the West German national anthem) after Dieter Braun's victory the previous season, limited entries to only Eastern Bloc nations beginning in 1973.

## 1972 Grand Prix season calendar

| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit | 50cc winner | 125cc winner | 250cc winner | 350cc winner | 500cc winner | Sidecars 500cc winner | Report |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 30 April | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring Nordschleife | Jan de Vries | Gilberto Parlotti | Hideo Kanaya | Jarno Saarinen | Giacomo Agostini | Schauzu / Kalauch | Report |
| 2 | 7 May | French Grand Prix | Charade | | Gilberto Parlotti | Phil Read | Jarno Saarinen | Giacomo Agostini | Luthringshauser / Cusnik | Report |
| 3 | 14 May | Austrian Grand Prix | Salzburgring | | Angel Nieto | Börje Jansson | Giacomo Agostini | Giacomo Agostini | Enders / Engelhardt | Report |
| 4 | 21 May | Nations Grand Prix | Imola | Jan de Vries | Angel Nieto | Renzo Pasolini | Giacomo Agostini | Giacomo Agostini | | Report |
| 5 | 9 June | Isle of Man TT | Snaefell Mountain | | Chas Mortimer | Phil Read | Giacomo Agostini | Giacomo Agostini | Schauzu / Kalauch | Report |
| 6 | 18 June | Yugoslavian Grand Prix | Opatija | Jan Bruins | Kent Andersson | Renzo Pasolini | János Drapál | Alberto Pagani | | Report |
| 7 | 24 June | Dutch TT | Assen | Angel Nieto | Angel Nieto | Rodney Gould | Giacomo Agostini | Giacomo Agostini | Enders / Engelhardt | Report |
| 8 | 2 July | Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps | Angel Nieto | Angel Nieto | Jarno Saarinen | | Giacomo Agostini | Enders / Engelhardt | Report |
| 9 | 9 July | Grand Prix of the DRG | Sachsenring | Theo Timmer | Börje Jansson | Jarno Saarinen | Phil Read | Giacomo Agostini | | Report |
| 10 | 16 July | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Brno | | Börje Jansson | Jarno Saarinen | Jarno Saarinen | Giacomo Agostini | Enders / Engelhardt | Report |
| 11 | 23 July | Swedish Grand Prix | Anderstorp | Jan de Vries | Angel Nieto | Rodney Gould | Giacomo Agostini | Giacomo Agostini | | Report |
| 12 | 30 July | Finnish Grand Prix | Imatra | | Kent Andersson | Jarno Saarinen | Giacomo Agostini | Giacomo Agostini | Vincent / Casey | Report |
| 13 | 23 September | Spanish Grand Prix | Montjuïc | Angel Nieto | Kent Andersson | Renzo Pasolini | Bruno Kneubühler | Chas Mortimer | | Report |

### Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top ten finishers in each race. Only the best of five races were counted on 50cc and Sidecars championships, while in the 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc championships, the best of seven races were counted.

| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

**500cc final standings**

| Pos | Rider | Machine | GER | FRA | AUT | NAC | MAN | YUG | HOL | BEL | DDR | CZE | SWE | FIN | ESP | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Giacomo Agostini | MV Agusta | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Ret | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 105 (165) |
| 2 | Alberto Pagani | MV Agusta | 2 | | | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | | 2 | | 87 |
| 3 | Bruno Kneubühler | Yamaha | 11 | 4 | 8 | 5 | | Ret | 3 | | 4 | 3 | 7 | Ret | 4 | 54 (57) |
| 4 | Rodney Gould | Yamaha | | | | | | | | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | 52 |
| 5 | Bo Granath | Husqvarna | 6 | 6 | 3 | Ret | | 5 | Ret | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 12 | Ret | 47 (51) |
| 6 | Chas Mortimer | Yamaha | | | | | | 2 | 5 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 8 | Ret | 1 | 42 |
| 7 | Dave Simmonds | Kawasaki | 4 | Ret | | | | | 4 | Ret | | | 4 | 5 | 2 | 42 |
| 8 | Billie Nelson | Honda / Yamaha / Paton | 8 | 7 | | Ret | | Ret | 9 | 8 | | 5 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 31 (33) |
| 9 | Jack Findlay | Jada-Suzuki | 7 | Ret | | Ret | Ret | Ret | 6 | Ret | Ret | 2 | Ret | Ret | 3 | 31 |
| 10 | Kim Newcombe | König | 3 | 10 | | | | | 12 | Ret | 3 | Ret | 5 | Ret | | 27 |
| 11 | Guido Mandracci | Suzuki | | 8 | 2 | Ret | | 4 | 10 | Ret | | | | | | 24 |
| 12 | Christian Bourgeois | Yamaha | Ret | 2 | 5 | | | | Ret | 9 | | | | | | 20 |
| 13 | Rob Bron | Suzuki | Ret | 3 | 4 | | | Ret | | | | | | | | 18 |
| 14 | Sven-Olof Gunnarsson | Kawasaki | 12 | Ret | | | | Ret | | | Ret | 6 | 6 | Ret | 5 | 16 |
| 15 | Jerry Lancaster | Yamaha / Suzuki | 15 | Ret | | Ret | | 9 | 7 | 7 | | | 11 | 7 | | 14 |
| 16 | Paul Eickleberg | König | 30 | | | | | 3 | 8 | | | | Ret | Ret | | 13 |
| 17 | Mick Grant | Kawasaki | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| = | Bruno Spaggiari | Ducati | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 19 | Gianpiero Zubani | Kawasaki | | | 6 | Ret | | 7 | | | | | | | | 9 |
| 20 | Sergio Baroncini | Ducati | | | 9 | 7 | | 8 | | | | 14 | | | | 9 |
| 21 | Kevin Cowley | Seeley-Matchless | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| = | Hideo Kanaya | Yamaha | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | 8 |
| = | Paul Smart | Ducati | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 24 | Lothar John | Yamaha / Suzuki | 10 | | | 8 | | | 11 | 10 | | 8 | 18 | 10 | | 8 |
| 25 | Piet Van der Wal | Kawasaki | | | | | | | Ret | 13 | 8 | | | | 7 | 7 |
| 26 | Ernst Hiller | König / Kawasaki | 5 | | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | 6 |
| = | André Pogolotti | Suzuki | | 5 | | Ret | | | | | | | | | Ret | 6 |
| 28 | Derek Chatterton | Yamaha | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| 29 | Eric Offenstadt | Kawasaki / Yamaha | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | | Ret | Ret | 6 | Ret | Ret | | | | 5 |
| 30 | Charlie Dobson | Kawasaki | Ret | | | | | 6 | | | | | Ret | Ret | | 5 |
| 31 | Klaus Huber | Kawasaki | Ret | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 32 | Pentti Korhonen | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | 5 |
| = | Charlie Williams | Yamaha | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 34 | Kurt-Ivan Carlsson | Yamaha | 14 | 9 | Ret | | | | 13 | 12 | Ret | 10 | | Ret | 9 | 5 |
| 35 | Alois Maxwald | Rotax | | | Ret | | | | | | 7 | 11 | | | | 4 |
| 36 | Silvano Bertarelli | Kawasaki / Paton | | | 7 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 37 | Selwyn Griffiths | Matchless | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 38 | Derek Lee | Suzuki | Ret | | | Ret | | | | | | | | 8 | Ret | 3 |
| 39 | Clive Brown | Suzuki | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| = | Getulio Marcaccini | Aermacchi | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 3 |
| 41 | Carlo Marelli | Paton / Kawasaki | | | 10 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 42 | Arpád Juhos | Metisse-Matchless / Aermacchi | | | | | | | | | 9 | 15 | | | | 2 |
| 43 | Ken Araoka | Kawasaki | 9 | Ret | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 44 | Johnny Bengtsson | Husqvarna-Proto | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 9 | | 2 |
| 45 | Paul Cott | Seeley | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| = | Seppo Kangasniemi | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | 2 |
| 47 | Roberto Gallina | Paton | | | Ret | Ret | | 10 | | | | | | | Ret | 1 |
| 48 | Maurice Hawthorne | Kawasaki | Ret | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | 10 | 1 |
| 49 | Josef Özelt | Matchless | | | | | | | | | 10 | Ret | | | | 1 |
| 50 | Ulf Nilsson | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | 1 |
| = | Charlie Sanby | Suzuki | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 52 | Ron Chandler | Kawasaki | | 13 | | | | | Ret | 11 | | | | | | 0 |
| 53 | Kai Kuparinen | Suzuki / Kawasaki | | | | | | Ret | Ret | | Ret | | 19 | 11 | | 0 |
| 54 | Ted Janssen | Suzuki | 27 | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | 11 | 0 |
| 55 | Michael Schmid | Yamaha | 28 | | | | | | | | 11 | Ret | | | | 0 |
| 56 | Terry Dennehy | Honda | | | Ret | | | 11 | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| 57 | Giordano Mongardi | Ducati | | | 11 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 58 | Christian Leon | Kawasaki | | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Billy McCosh | Suzuki | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 60 | Gyula Marsovszky | Linto | Ret | Ret | | Ret | | | Ret | | Ret | 12 | | | Ret | 0 |
| 61 | Steve Ellis | Yamaha | Ret | 12 | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | Ret | Ret | | 0 |
| 62 | Morgan Radberg | Monark | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 12 | | | 0 |
| 63 | Gustavo Cerdeña | Suzuki | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | John Hughes | Matchless | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Stan Woods | Suzuki | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 66 | Heinz Schmid | Suzuki | 18 | | Ret | | Ret | | | | | 13 | | | | 0 |
| 67 | Keith Turner | Suzuki | 13 | Ret | | Ret | | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | | 0 |
| 68 | Jean Campiche | Linto | Ret | | | | | 13 | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| 69 | Agne Carlsson | Husqvarna | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | | | 0 |
| = | Jeff Wade | Yamaha | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 71 | Kaarlo Koivuniemi | Kawasaki | 20 | 14 | | | | | | | | 16 | 16 | Ret | | 0 |
| 72 | Börge Andersson | Honda | 23 | | | | | | | | | | 14 | | | 0 |
| 73 | Guy Cooremans | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Roger Nichols | Suzuki | | | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 75 | George Fogarty | Cunningham-Suzuki | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Jean-Paul Passet | Kawasaki | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Jerôme van Haeltert | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Sture Wass | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | 0 |
| 79 | Hans-Otto Butenuth | BMW | Ret | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Walter Rüngg | Aermacchi | 16 | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 81 | Garry Mateer | Norton | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 82 | Werner Bergold | Kawasaki | | | Ret | | | | | | | 17 | | | | 0 |
| 83 | Pete Elmore | Petty-Norton | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Jacques Roca | Suzuki | | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Hans-Jürgen Rothbrust | Yamaha | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Claus Tarum | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | 0 |
| 87 | Anssi Resko | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | 18 | | Ret | | 0 |
| 88 | Tom Dickie | Cowles-Matchless | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 89 | Horst Dzierzawa | Yamaha | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 0 |
| 90 | Brian Lee | Aermacchi | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 91 | Arne Andersson | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | | | 0 |
| 92 | Ken Tilley | Norton | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 93 | Kurt-Harald Florin | König | 21 | Ret | | | | | Ret | | | | Ret | Ret | | 0 |
| 94 | Roger Bowler | Mularny | | | | | 21 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 95 | Werner Giger | Kawasaki | 22 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 96 | Raymond Ashcroft | Yamaha | | | | | 22 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 97 | Hugh Evans | Kawasaki | | | | | 23 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 98 | Udo Kochanski | BMW | 24 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Grahan Penny | Honda | | | | | 24 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 100 | Willi Bertsch | Kawasaki | 25 | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | 0 |
| 101 | Ken Kay | Seeley | | | | | 25 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 102 | Sten-Gunnar Jansson | Kawasaki | 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Fred Walton | Velocette-Metisse | | | | | 26 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 104 | Ron Baylie | Triumph | | | | | 27 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 105 | Walter Dawson | Yamaha | | | | | 28 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 106 | Otto Labitzke | Honda | 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| = | Chris Neve | Seeley | | | | | 29 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 108 | Tom Loughridge | Crooks-Suzuki | | | | | 30 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 109 | Abe Alexander | Seeley | | | | | 31 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 110 | Jim Ashton | Seeley | | | | | 32 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 111 | Tom Waterer | Norton | | | | | 33 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 112 | Ernie Johnson | Suzuki | | | | | 34 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 113 | Geoff Barry | Oakley-Seeley | | | | | 35 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Karl Auer | Kawasaki | Ret | | Ret | Ret | | | | | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | | 0 |
| – | Cliff Carr | Kawasaki | Ret | Ret | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | André-Luc Appietto | Kawasaki | | Ret | Ret | | | | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Godfrey Nash | Honda | Ret | | Ret | | | | Ret | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bohumil Stasa | ČZ | | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | Ret | | | | 0 |
| – | Gérard Debrock | Kawasaki | | Ret | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Wil Hartog | Riemanoc / Yamaha | Ret | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Kari Lahtinen | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | Ret | | 0 |
| – | Bob Biscardine | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Jeff Boniface | Kettle-Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Hans Braumandl | Rotax | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | | 0 |
| – | Peter Breingan | Honda | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Robert Browne | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Paolo Campanelli | Kawasaki | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Doug Cash | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Gérard Chamard | Kawasaki | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Gérard Chaperon | Seeley | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Eric Clark | Seeley | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| – | John Dodds | Yamaha | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Derek Filler | Seeley | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dave Foulkes | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Rudolf Fröhling | Honda | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Bill Fulton | Stafford-Matchless | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Roger Fursman | Seeley | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Alex George | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 0 |
| – | Andreas Georgeades | Honda / ASG | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Roger Graham | Cowles-Matchless | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Don Grant | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Terry Grotefeld | Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | René Guilli | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | 0 |
| – | Billie Guthrie | Dugdale-Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | David Harris | Yamaha | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Don Harris | Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Keith Heckles | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ari Heikkilä | AMC-Sachs | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | 0 |
| – | Bill Henderson | Seeley-Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Gerhard Heukerott | Benelli | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ivan Hodgkinson | Granby-Suzuki | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ewald Hüttlin | Kawasaki | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Tony Jefferies | Suzuki | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Walter Kaletsch | Yamaha | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Brian Kemp | Suzuki | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ray Knight | Hughes-Triumph | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | David Knowles | Matchless-Metisse | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Jiri Kral | ČZ | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | 0 |
| – | Alan Lawton | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Mario Lega | Ducati | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | 0 |
| – | Pentti Lehtelä | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | 0 |
| – | Giuseppe Mandolini | Aermacchi | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 0 |
| – | Hans-Josef Martinek | ČZ | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Malcom Moffatt | Seeley | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Brian Moses | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Steve Moynihan | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Garth Neveling | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Lars Pahlsson | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| – | Giovanni Perrone | Kawasaki | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Norman Price | Mularny-Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Eman Quirenz | Jawa | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | 0 |
| – | Robert Ramsey | Matchless | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Phil Read | Yamaha | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dudley Robinson | Padgett-Kawasaki | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Nigel Rollason | Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Roger Ruiz | Honda | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Claes-Göran Samuelsson | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| – | Barry Smith | Kawasaki | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | John Stanley | Seeley | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Wolfgang Stephan | Honda | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Peter Stocksiefen | Honda | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Anders Sundberg | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| – | Roger Sutcliffe | Suzuki | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Brian Taggart | Norton | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Thierry Tchernine | Yamaha | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Jupp Tröblinger | König | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Dennis Trollope | Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Mike van Aken | König | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| – | Brian Warburton | Yamaha | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Peter Williams | Arter Matchless | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | John Williams | Arter Matchless | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Benedetto Zambotti | Kawasaki | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Rider | Bike | GER | FRA | AUT | NAC | MAN | YUG | HOL | BEL | DDR | CZE | SWE | FIN | ESP | Pts |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |

### 1972 350 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Giacomo Agostini | 1 | Italy | MV Agusta | 102 | 6 |
| 2 | Jarno Saarinen | 2 | Finland | Yamaha | 89 | 3 |
| 3 | Renzo Pasolini | | Italy | Aermacchi | 78 | 0 |
| 4 | Dieter Braun | | West Germany | Yamaha | 54 | 0 |
| 5 | Phil Read | 16 | United Kingdom | MV Agusta | 51 | 1 |
| 6 | Bruno Kneubühler | | Switzerland | Yamaha | 45 | 1 |
| 7 | Teuvo Lansivuori | 10 | Finland | Yamaha | 42 | 0 |
| 7 | János Drapál | | Hungary | Yamaha | 42 | 1 |
| 9 | Hideo Kanaya | | Japan | Yamaha | 41 | 0 |
| 10 | Jack Findlay | 32 | Australia | Yamaha | 41 | 0 |

### 1972 250 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Jarno Saarinen | 3 | Finland | Yamaha | 94 | 4 |
| 2 | Renzo Pasolini | 28 | Italy | Aermacchi | 93 | 3 |
| 3 | Rodney Gould | 2 | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 88 | 2 |
| 4 | Phil Read | 1 | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 58 | 2 |
| 5 | Teuvo Lansivuori | 22 | Finland | Yamaha | 46 | 0 |
| 6 | John Dodds | 4 | Australia | Yamaha | 42 | 0 |
| 7 | Kent Andersson | 14 | Sweden | Yamaha | 39 | 0 |
| 8 | Börje Jansson | | Sweden | Maico | 36 | 1 |
| 9 | Silvio Grassetti | 7 | Italy | MZ | 30 | 0 |
| 10 | Werner Pfirter | 20 | Switzerland | Yamaha | 28 | 0 |

### 1972 125 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Angel Nieto | 1 | Spain | Derbi | 97 | 5 |
| 2 | Kent Andersson | 9 | Sweden | Yamaha | 87 | 3 |
| 3 | Chas Mortimer | 5 | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 87 | 1 |
| 4 | Börje Jansson | 3 | Sweden | Maico | 78 | 1 |
| 5 | Gilberto Parlotti | 8 | Italy | Morbidelli | 52 | 2 |
| 6 | Dave Simmonds | 6 | United Kingdom | Kawasaki | 44 | 0 |
| 7 | Harald Bartol | | Austria | Suzuki | 37 | 0 |
| 8 | Dieter Braun | 4 | West Germany | Maico | 25 | 0 |
| 9 | Jos Schurgers | | Netherlands | Bridgestone | 23 | 0 |
| 10 | Bernd Köhlar | 23 | East Germany | MZ | 23 | 0 |

### 1972 50 cc Roadracing World Championship final standings

| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Angel Nieto | 2 | Spain | Derbi | 69 | 3 |
| 2 | Jan de Vries | 1 | Netherlands | Kreidler | 69 | 3 |
| 3 | Theo Timmer | | Netherlands | Jamathi | 50 | 1 |
| 4 | Jan Bruins | 10 | Netherlands | Kreidler | 39 | 1 |
| 5 | Otello Buscherini | | Italy | Malanca | 32 | 0 |
| 6 | Hans Hummel | | Austria | Kreidler | 26 | 0 |
| 7 | Harald Bartol | | Austria | Kreidler | 26 | 0 |
| 8 | Jan Huberts | | Netherlands | Kreidler | 25 | 0 |
| 9 | Rudolf Kunz | 4 | West Germany | Kreidler | 17 | 0 |
| 10 | Benjamin Grau | | Spain | Derbi | 12 | 0 |
