The 1972 Formula One season was the 23rd FIA Formula One season. It featured the 23rd World Championship of Drivers, the 15th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship season commenced on 23 January and ended on 8 October after twelve races. This was the first year where all the races were run on circuits with modern safety features on them, and considerable progress had been made since 1967, the last year where all races were run on circuits without significant safety improvements.