Notes on the Cars at Monza

Fittipaldi was using a new McLaren M23 that had first appeared two weeks previously at the Swiss race at Dijon. It was the tenth M23 to be built, but as M23/8 had been scrapped after its Nurburgring practice accident, the new car took its number, suffixed -2 to indicate a completely new car. Mass had M23/6 and M23/9 was the spare car. The Tyrrell cars were unchanged, Scheckter in 007/6-3, Depailler in 007/4 and the spare was 007/5. Team Lotus had their only two remaining 72 models, the new car almost, but not quite, being ready for Monza. Peterson had 72/R9 in standard trim and Crawford had 72/R8 in long wheelbase form with coil-spring rear suspension. The Brabhams were the usual trio of B1, B3 and B4, and the March trio were the usual numbers 1, 2 and 3, though number 2 was a new kit of parts assembled to make a new car. Ferrari had 023 and 024 for Lauda and Regazzoni, respectively, with 021 as the spare car, and there were no signs of the rumoured new rear suspension. The only other changes to the line-up as seen in Austria were that the Graham Hill team had been forced to resurrect one of last year’s Lolas to act as a spare car, and the Parnelli team were down to one car which was basically the original VPJ4/001. The car Andretti crashed in Austria had gone back to the USA base for repair and the outboard front brake set-up and other bits such as the oil radiators, were removed and used to update 001. — D.S. J.