Chassis 72/5 Fittipaldi’s old faithful
Emerson Fittipaldi crashed what would turn out to be his ‘old faithful’ on his first appearance in the car, in Friday practice at Monza 1970 – then team-mate Jochen Rindt was killed on the Saturday. After missing the Canadian GP, Team Lotus headed to Watkins Glen, where Fittipaldi took his maiden F1 win in this car.
Chassis 72/5 then carried him through his first full F1 season in 1971. Following a string of early season retirements, Fittipaldi drove updated 72D/5 to fifth in Monaco. A road accident was a setback, but the Brazilian returned to score consecutive thirds in France and Britain, plus a second in Austria. He also used it to finish runner-up in the season-ending Rothmans Victory Race at Brands Hatch, which was curtailed by the accident that killed Jo Siffert.
Into 1972, now running in John Player Special colours, its notable results in Fittipaldi’s first world championshipwinning year included second in South Africa and runner-up in the non-points Oulton Park Gold Cup. New Team Lotus driver Dave Walker drove it in Spain and Monaco, but 72/5 reverted back to Fittipaldi thereafter. Often used as his fall-back T-car, it defied retirement and continued to be wheeled out for big occasions. ‘Emmo’ used it to win a non-championship race at Vallelunga, the Austrian GP, the Rothmans 50,000 Libre race at Brands Hatch (prize: £50,000) and even clinched his and Lotus’s world titles in the chassis at Monza – as a single Lotus entry under the moniker World Wide
