Talk:1972 French Grand Prix

Beuttler

Sources differ regarding whether Beuttler was classified as 19th or "Retired":

• FORIX (subscription site) says "19th"
• ChicaneF1 says "19th"
• Mike Lang's Grand Prix! Vol 2 says "19th"
• formula1.com used to say "19th" but now says "Retired" ("DNF")
• grandprix.com says "Retired" ("r")
• StatsF1 says "Retired" ("ab")

By my understanding, the applicable rule at the time was that drivers needed to complete 90% of the race distance (=34.2 laps in this case) to be classified, and that therefore Beuttler, who only completed 33 laps, should not have been classified (also noting that all the sources listed show Depailler, who also completed 33 laps, as "Not Classified"). However, it's also my understanding that in the early 1970s, the official race results were determined/published by the individual race organisers, not the FIA as occurs today, and that they didn't always apply the rules consistently/correctly. I suspect that the official results as published by the race organisers classified Beuttler as 19th (as reported by Lang, FORIX, ChicaneF1 and originally by formula1.com) and those sources which list him as "Retired" have retrospectively applied the "90%" rule - although I have no evidence of this.

Wikipedia:Verifiability says we have to report what the sources say, but in this case the sources are split, so what's the consensus: 19th or Retired? DH85868993 (talk) 01:34, 3 July 2016 (UTC)

• Small, GP Who's Who (1994), says 'Ret' (out of fuel).
• "Jenks" contemporary report here puts him as "19th" but also shows in the retirements at 33 laps "no fuel". Also says 20 finishers (out of 24) but shows 6 retirements, incl. Beuttler and says "not running at finish but classified on distance" for MB and Walker ("18th") who completed 34 laps. Both are shown in the results ahead of Depaillier shown as "20th" in results and still running at the end. Seems this and "local rules" of the time may have something to do with it.
• Marlboro GP Guide 1950-82 (a summary only) states "20 classified". So overall the organisers at the time quite possibly decided finishing rules as indicated above. Eagleash (talk) 06:44, 3 July 2016 (UTC)