The 1973 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Paul Ricard Circuit on 1 July 1973. It was race 8 of 15 in both the 1973 World Championship of Drivers and the 1973 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was the first victory for two-time World Championship runner-up Ronnie Peterson.
Qualifying
Qualifying classification
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!Pos.
!Driver
!Constructor
!Time
!No
|-
!1
|Jackie Stewart
|Tyrrell-Ford
|1:48.37
|1
|-
!2
|Jody Scheckter
|McLaren-Ford
|1:49.18
|2
|-
!3
|Emerson Fittipaldi
|Lotus-Ford
|1:49.36
|3
|-
!4
|François Cevert
|Tyrrell-Ford
|1:49.39
|4
|-
!5
|Ronnie Peterson
|Lotus-Ford
|1:49.45
|5
|-
!6
|Denis Hulme
|McLaren-Ford
|1:49.68
|6
|-
!7
|Jean-Pierre Jarier
|March-Ford
|1:50.69
|7
|-
!8
|Carlos Reutemann
|Brabham-Ford
|1:50.75
|8
|-
!9
|Clay Regazzoni
|BRM
|1:50.99
|9
|-
!10
|Arturo Merzario
|Ferrari
|1:51.17
|10
|-
!11
|Mike Hailwood
|Surtees-Ford
|1:51.17
|11
|-
!12
|Jacky Ickx
|Ferrari
|1:51.44
|12
|-
!13
|Andrea de Adamich
|Brabham-Ford
|1:51.53
|13
|-
!14
|James Hunt
|March-Ford
|1:51.63
|14
|-
!15
|Jean-Pierre Beltoise
|BRM
|1:51.67
|15
|-
!16
|Graham Hill
|Shadow-Ford
|1:51.70
|16
|-
!17
|Niki Lauda
|BRM
|1:51.78
|17
|-
!18
|Carlos Pace
|Surtees-Ford
|1:51.88
|18
|-
!19
|Wilson Fittipaldi
|Brabham-Ford
|1:52.07
|19
|-
!20
|George Follmer
|Shadow-Ford
|1:52.30
|20
|-
!21
|Jackie Oliver
|Shadow-Ford
|1:52.94
|21
|-
!22
|Reine Wisell
|March-Ford
|1:53.20
|22
|-
!23
|Henri Pescarolo
|Iso-Ford
|1:53.56
|23
|-
!24
|Howden Ganley
|Iso-Ford
|1:53.87
|24
|-
!25
|Rikky von Opel
|Ensign-Ford
|1:55.55
|25
|}
Race
Controversy
This race was notable for a collision involving Jody Scheckter and Emerson Fittipaldi. Scheckter, who was given an opportunity to drive a factory McLaren for this event was leading from the start in just his third Formula One race. On lap 41, Fittipaldi had closed and attempted to pass the South African, but Scheckter closed the door and they made heavy contact, forcing Emerson into retirement. Scheckter continued but retired shortly afterwards with suspension damage. Fittipaldi ran to the McLaren pits, eventually resulting in fierce words between the two drivers. Scheckter claimed years later that Fittipaldi had called him a 'young hooligan' for his role in the incident. At the following race, the 1973 British Grand Prix, Scheckter triggered a multiple collision at the end of the first lap, causing many cars to retire. Many drivers wanted him banned from the sport after the race, but McLaren instead decided to put him on the sidelines for a number of races.
Results
Meanwhile, after so many promising races turned to nothing, Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson finally celebrated victory for the first time in his career, driving a Lotus. Tyrrell driver François Cevert finished in second place, whilst Carlos Reutemann achieved the first podium of his career, finishing third in a Brabham. He was followed by Jackie Stewart's Tyrrell in fourth, Jacky Ickx's Ferrari in fifth, and James Hunt scoring the first point of his F1 career driving a Hesketh-owned March.
Classification
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Pos !! No !! Driver !! Constructor !! Laps !! Time/Retired !! Grid !! Points
|-
! 1
| 2
| Ronnie Peterson
| Lotus-Ford
| 54
| 1:41:36.52
| 5
| 9
|-
! 2
| 6
| François Cevert
| Tyrrell-Ford
| 54
| + 40.92
| 4
| 6
|-
! 3
| 10
| Carlos Reutemann
| Brabham-Ford
| 54
| + 46.48
| 8
| 4
|-
! 4
| 5
| Jackie Stewart
| Tyrrell-Ford
| 54
| + 46.93
| 1
| 3
|-
! 5
| 3
| Jacky Ickx
| Ferrari
| 54
| + 48.90
| 12
| 2
|-
! 6
| 27
| James Hunt
| March-Ford
| 54
| + 1:22.54
| 14
| 1
|-
! 7
| 4
| Arturo Merzario
| Ferrari
| 54
| + 1:29.19
| 10
|
|-
! 8
| 7
| Denny Hulme
| McLaren-Ford
| 54
| + 1:29.53
| 6
|
|-
! 9
| 21
| Niki Lauda
| BRM
| 54
| + 1:45.76
| 17
|
|-
! 10
| 12
| Graham Hill
| Shadow-Ford
| 53
| + 1 Lap
| 16
|
|-
! 11
| 20
| Jean-Pierre Beltoise
| BRM
| 53
| + 1 Lap
| 15
|
|-
! 12
| 19
| Clay Regazzoni
| BRM
| 53
| + 1 Lap
| 9
|
|-
! 13
| 24
| Carlos Pace
| Surtees-Ford
| 51
| + 3 Laps
| 18
|
|-
! 14
| 25
| Howden Ganley
| Iso-Marlboro-Ford
| 51
| + 3 Laps
| 24
|
|-
! 15
| 29
| Rikky von Opel
| Ensign-Ford
| 51
| + 3 Laps
| 25
|
|-
! 16
| 11
| Wilson Fittipaldi
| Brabham-Ford
| 50
| + 4 Laps
| 19
|
|-
!
| 8
| Jody Scheckter
| McLaren-Ford
| 43
| Collision damage
| 2
|
|-
!
| 1
| Emerson Fittipaldi
| Lotus-Ford
| 41
| Collision
| 3
|
|-
!
| 23
| Mike Hailwood
| Surtees-Ford
| 29
| Oil Leak
| 11
|
|-
!
| 9
| Andrea de Adamich
| Brabham-Ford
| 28
| Halfshaft
| 13
|
|-
!
| 15
| Reine Wisell
| March-Ford
| 20
| Overheating
| 22
|
|-
!
| 16
| George Follmer
| Shadow-Ford
| 16
| Fuel system
| 20
|
|-
!
| 26
| Henri Pescarolo
| Iso-Marlboro-Ford
| 16
| Overheating
| 23
|
|-
!
| 14
| Jean-Pierre Jarier
| March-Ford
| 7
| Halfshaft
| 7
|
|-
!
| 17
| Jackie Oliver
| Shadow-Ford
| 0
| Clutch
| 21
|
|-
!colspan="8"|
|}
Notes
- This was the Formula One World Championship debut for Liechtensteiner driver Rikky von Opel. He was the first driver to drive for the microstate.
- This was the 5th fastest lap set by McLaren.
Championship standings after the race
;Drivers' Championship standings
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!
! Pos
! Driver
! Points
|-
|align="left"| 10px 1
|align="center"| 1
| Jackie Stewart
| align="left"| 42
|-
|align="left"| 10px 1
|align="center"| 2
| Emerson Fittipaldi
| align="left"| 41
|-
|align="left"| 10px
|align="center"| 3
| François Cevert
| align="left"| 31
|-
|align="left"| 10px 2
|align="center"| 4
| Ronnie Peterson
| align="left"| 19
|-
|align="left"| 10px 1
|align="center"| 5
| Denny Hulme
| align="left"| 19
|-
!colspan=4|Source:
|}
;Constructors' Championship standings
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!
! Pos
! Constructor
! Points
|-
|align="left"| 10px 1
|align="center"| 1
| Lotus-Ford
| align="left"| 52 (56)
|-
|align="left"| 10px 1
|align="center"| 2
| Tyrrell-Ford
| align="left"| 51 (55)
|-
|align="left"| 10px
|align="center"| 3
| McLaren-Ford
| align="left"| 26
|-
|align="left"| 10px
|align="center"| 4
| Ferrari
| align="left"| 12
|-
|align="left"| 10px
|align="center"| 5
| Brabham-Ford
| align="left"| 11
|-
!colspan=4|Source: