The 1972 Spanish Grand Prix marked the first time two brothers, Emerson and Wilson Fittipaldi, competed simultaneously in Formula One.
Key Facts
- Race winner
- Emerson Fittipaldi (Lotus)
- Total laps
- 90 laps
- Championship round
- Race 3 of 12
- 2nd place
- Jacky Ickx (Ferrari)
- 3rd place
- Clay Regazzoni (Ferrari)
- Championship standings after race
- Fittipaldi & Hulme tied at 15 points
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Carlos Reutemann of Brabham injured his ankle in a Formula 2 race at Thruxton, England the weekend before, opening a seat for a last-minute substitute. Wilson Fittipaldi was called upon to fill the vacancy, inadvertently setting the stage for a historic sibling pairing on the starting grid.
The 90-lap 1972 Spanish Grand Prix was held at Jarama on May 1, 1972. Emerson Fittipaldi, starting from third on the grid, drove his Lotus to victory. Jacky Ickx and Clay Regazzoni completed the podium for Ferrari. The race was the first in Formula One history in which two brothers competed at the same time.
Emerson Fittipaldi's victory left him tied atop the World Drivers' Championship standings with Denny Hulme, each holding 15 points. The race's historical footnote—the simultaneous F1 debut of brothers Emerson and Wilson Fittipaldi—added a notable milestone to the sport's record books.