1972 international calendar

The 1972 season will see the beginning of two new eras of motor racing, in sports cars and in Formula Two. The major sports car races will be run to an upper limit of 3-litres and already Ferrari has shown that his flat-12 Grand Prix-inspired sports car will be the one to beat, and though the absolute power of the 5-litre cars will be seen no more, the 3-litre cars will not be visibly slower even if they are less exciting. In Formula Two the 1,600-c.c, upper limit has been raised to 2,000-c.c. (2-litres) and the rather confusing European Trophy continues with graded drivers being allowed to take part in the races, but not be eligible for the overall Trophy, so that a driver who never wins a race could be European Formula Two Champion.

The Grand Prix scene has two additional dates added to its list, the Argentine race in January and the proposed race at the Ontario Super Speedway in April, which will be a second Grand Prix for America if all the financial wheeling and dealing allows it to happen. The French GP goes to Clermont-Ferrand (the over-taking nightmare circuit) and the British GP goes to Brands Hatch, providing the safety-committee of the CSI can avoid the hysteria caused after the last Brands Hatch Formula One race. In the Formula Two list it is nice to see the Circuit of Pau added in the Championship for this classic event has stood aloof for too long, while in the Long Distance Sports Car list the Canadian race has been dropped after two abortive attempts to hold it.