78MM to celebrate Lotus 72 with incredible on‑track demo

A mixed-year demonstration, this track moment will see Goodwood celebrate all of ‘The 72 Years’ from 1970 to 1975, when the revolutionary wedged design dominated F1, winning three constructors titles in five years.

The 72’s innovative design was the first to feature side-mounted radiators, giving birth to the first set of sidepods, which have come to be a major part of F1 design.

The mighty 72 was raced by some of the greatest drivers of its era, including Jochen Rindt (F1’s only posthumous World Champion), Emerson Fittipaldi (who won the championship in 1972), Ronnie Peterson and Jacky Ickx. Between them they racked up a record-breaking 20 Grand Prix victories over the course of its career.

‘The 72 Years’ will rekindle memories of a time when technical ingenuity and driver skill won races rather than tyre management and DRS, cars were clearly identifiable and the dawn of proper sponsorship made liveries truly iconic.

But it won’t just be a group of Lotus 72s running round on their own, as cool as that would be. Goodwood will bring the 72 back together with its contemporary competitors in what should be a truly evocative demo.

The collection of Formula 1 royalty will bring together such icons as the McLaren M23, in which Fittipaldi would win his second championship in 1974, Ferrari icons the 312B and 312T, driven in their time by Ickx, Regazzoni, Andretti and Lauda, and Tyrrells of the type in which Jackie Stewart offered Lotus its most consistent opposition. 

Added together this cocktail of incredible cars, some we’ve seen together at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, but very few of which we’ve seen together on track at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, should create one of the best demonstrations the revived Goodwood Members’ Meetings have ever seen.

Tickets for the 78^th Members’ Meeting are on sale now, exclusively to GRRC Members and those in the GRRC Fellowship. For more information, or to buy tickets visit ticketing.goodwood.com. Or to join the GRRC Fellowship, bringing you exclusive access to the 78^th Members’ Meeting and year-round digital content visit https://www.goodwood.com/grr/join/.