The 1973 Formula One season was the 24th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1973 World Championship of Drivers and the 1973 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, which were contested concurrently over a fifteen race series [1] that commenced on 28 January and ended on 7 October. The season also included two non-championship races which were open to both Formula One and Formula 5000 cars.
The World Championship of Drivers was won by Jackie Stewart and the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was awarded to John Player Team Lotus.[1]
In the World Championship, John Player Team Lotus teammates Emerson Fittipaldi and Ronnie Peterson raced each other while Jackie Stewart was supported by François Cevert at Elf Team Tyrrell. Stewart took the Driver's title, but then at the final race of the season, the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, Cevert crashed during Saturday practice in the notorious 'Esses' and was killed instantly. Stewart and Tyrrell withdrew from the race, handing the Manufacturers title to Lotus. At the end of the season Stewart made public his decision to retire, a decision that had been made before the US Grand Prix.
There were two new races for the 1973 season- the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos in São Paulo and the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp.
Briton Roger Williamson died in a crash at the Dutch Grand Prix, which was his second Formula One race.
By the end of the 1973 season the best car on the track was probably the new McLaren M23, a wedge-shaped car following the same concept as the Lotus 72 but with more conventional suspension and up to date aerodynamics.
Championship schedule [edit]
The 1973 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was awarded to John Player Special
The following races counted towards both the 1973 World Championship of Drivers and the 1973 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers.
- The Belgian Grand Prix also carried the title of European Grand Prix for 1973.[2]
- After being absence from the Championship in 1972 due to extensive safety upgrades to the Zandvoort circuit including new asphalt, new barriers and a new race control tower, the Dutch Grand Prix returned to the Championship calendar for 1973.
Championship drivers and constructors [edit]
The following competitors contested the 1973 World Championship.
| Entrant |
Constructor |
Chassis |
Engine |
Tyre |
Driver |
Rounds |
John Player Team Lotus |
Lotus-Ford |
72D
72E |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
All |
Ronnie Peterson |
All |
Elf Team Tyrrell |
Tyrrell-Ford |
005
006 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Jackie Stewart |
All |
François Cevert |
All |
Chris Amon |
14-15 |
Motor Racing Developments |
Brabham-Ford |
BT37
BT42 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Carlos Reutemann |
All |
Wilson Fittipaldi |
All |
Andrea de Adamich |
4-6, 8-9 |
Rolf Stommelen |
11-14 |
John Watson |
9, 15 |
Yardley Team McLaren |
McLaren-Ford |
M19A
M19C
M23 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Denny Hulme |
All |
Peter Revson |
1-7, 9-15 |
Jody Scheckter |
3, 8-9, 14-15 |
Jacky Ickx |
11 |
Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC |
Ferrari |
312B2
312B3 |
Ferrari 001/1 3.0 F12
Ferrari 001/11 3.0 F12 |
G |
Jacky Ickx |
1-9, 13 |
Arturo Merzario |
1-3, 6, 8, 12-15 |
Clarke-Mordaunt-Guthrie Racing
Team Pierre Robert |
March-Ford |
721G
731 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
F
G
|
Mike Beuttler |
1-7, 9-15 |
Reine Wisell |
7-8 |
STP March Racing Team |
March-Ford |
721G
731 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Jean-Pierre Jarier |
1-3, 5-8, 12, 14-15 |
Henri Pescarolo |
4 |
Roger Williamson |
9-10 |
Brooke Bond Oxo Team Surtees |
Surtees-Ford |
TS9A
TS9B
TS14A |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
F |
Mike Hailwood |
All |
José Carlos Pace |
All |
Luiz Bueno |
2 |
Andrea de Adamich |
3 |
Jochen Mass |
9, 11, 15 |
Marlboro BRM |
BRM |
P160C
P160D |
BRM P142 3.0 V12 |
F |
Jean-Pierre Beltoise |
All |
Clay Regazzoni |
1-13, 15 |
Niki Lauda |
All |
Peter Gethin |
14 |
Frank Williams Racing Cars |
Iso-Marlboro-Ford |
FX3B
IR |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
F |
Nanni Galli |
1-2, 4-6 |
Howden Ganley |
All |
Jackie Pretorius |
3 |
Tom Belsø |
7 |
Henri Pescarolo |
8, 11 |
Graham McRae |
9 |
Gijs van Lennep |
10, 12-13 |
Tim Schenken |
14 |
Jacky Ickx |
15 |
UOP Shadow Racing Team |
Shadow-Ford |
DN1 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Jackie Oliver |
3-15 |
George Follmer |
3-15 |
Brian Redman |
15 |
Scribante Lucky Strike Racing |
Lotus-Ford |
72D |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
F |
Dave Charlton |
3 |
Blignaut Lucky Strike Racing |
Tyrrell-Ford |
004 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Eddie Keizan |
3 |
Embassy Racing |
Shadow-Ford |
DN1 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
Graham Hill |
4-15 |
Martini Racing Team |
Tecno |
PA123/6 |
Tecno Series-P 3.0 F12 |
F |
Chris Amon |
5-6, 9-10, 12 |
LEC Refrigeration Racing |
March-Ford |
731 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
David Purley |
6, 9-11, 13 |
Hesketh Racing |
March-Ford |
731 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
G |
James Hunt |
6, 8-10, 12, 14-15 |
Team Ensign |
Ensign-Ford |
N173 |
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 |
F |
Rikky von Opel |
8-10, 12-15 |
World Championship of Drivers - final standings [edit]
|
|
Key
| Colour |
Result |
| Gold |
Winner |
| Silver |
2nd place |
| Bronze |
3rd place |
| Green |
Points finish |
| Blue |
Non-points finish |
| Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple |
Did not finish (Ret) |
| Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black |
Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White |
Did not start (DNS) |
| Race cancelled (C) |
| Light blue |
Practiced only (PO) |
Friday test driver (TD)
(from 2003 onwards) |
| Blank |
Did not practice (DNP) |
| Excluded (EX) |
| Did not arrive (DNA) |
Bold - Pole position
Italics - Fastest Lap
|
- Points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six finishers in each race.[3]
- For classification, only the seven best results from the first eight races and the six best results from the last seven races were retained.[4]
- Drivers scoring an equal number of points were awarded equal championship classifications, regardless of the relative number of wins, second places, etc. scored by each driver.[1]
- The FIA did not award a championship classification to those drivers who did not score points in the championship.[1]
International Cup for F1 Manufacturers - final standings [edit]
[6]
- Points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six finishers in each race.[3]
- Points were only awarded for the position filled by the best placed car from each manufacturer.[7]
- For classification, only the seven best results from the first eight races and the six best results from the last seven races were retained.[4]
- Ensign, which did not score points during the championship, was not given a classification in the official FIA results.[1]
Non-Championship race results [edit]
The 1973 Formula One season included two non-championship races which were open to both Formula One and Formula 5000 cars.[8][9]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Results of the 1973 FIA International Championships, 1974 FIA Yearbook, Grey Section, pages 104-105
- ^ Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, page 71
- ^ a b Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, page 6
- ^ a b Automobile Year, 1973/74, page 236
- ^ Official FIA results, as published in the 1974 FIA Yearbook, Grey Section, page 105, awarded the 1973 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers to "John Player Special"
- ^ [1].
- ^ Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, page 74
- ^ The B24, Powered by Chevrolet, Lost Marques: Chevron, www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au Retrieved on 3 May 2012
- ^ It Never Rains, but it Snows: The 1973 BRDC International Trophy, themotorsportarchive.com Retrieved on 3 May 2012