| abstract | - Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.937,0.937,0.937) id:linemark value:gray(0.8) id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas PlotData = mark:(line,linemark) from:start till:41 color:white shift:(20,-5) text:Jody Scheckter (Laps 1-41) from:41 till:end color:yellow shift:(20,-5) text:Ronnie Peterson (Laps 42-54) The 1973 French Grand Prix, otherwise known officially as the LIX Grand Prix de France, was the eighth round of the 1973 FIA Formula One World Championship, staged on the 1st of July at the Circuit Paul Ricard. The race, which marked the halfway point in the 1973 season, would be remembered for a race deciding collision that effectively handed Ronnie Peterson a maiden race victory. Qualifying saw Jackie Stewart claim pole position, the Scot knowing that victory would put him into the lead of the Championship with seven races left to go. He was joined on the front row by the youthful Jody Scheckter and current Championship leader Emerson Fittipaldi, who was looking for a strong result after a poor run of luck and form. The start of the race saw Scheckter shoot into the lead, trailed by an equally fast starting Peterson, up from fifth on the grid. Stewart got away in third ahead of Denny Hulme, while Fittipaldi filtered in behind as the top five quickly sprinted clear of the rest of the field. It took until lap sixteen for any changes to affect the leaders, with Hulme dropping out of contention with a slow puncture. He was joined by Stewart a few laps later, although neither managed to lose a lap while having their flats replaced, leaving just three cars in the fight for victory. Fittipaldi was determined to take advantage of Stewart's problem, his bid aided further by the rather generous decision of teammate Peterson to wave him through to second. The Brazilian then set about attacking Scheckter, launching a dive down the inside of the South African when the rookie hesitated while trying to lap Jean-Pierre Beltoise. Unfortunately Scheckter decided to dart past Beltoise at the same moment, meaning the Lotus and McLaren smacked together, leaving both to limp back to the pits with terminal damage. All of that left Peterson with a huge advantage over the rest of the field, with the Swede duly cruising home to claim his first World Championship triumph. François Cevert had a quiet drive to second ahead of Carlos Reutemann, while Stewart recovered to fourth, taking the lead in the Championship. Jacky Ickx claimed fifth for Ferrari while James Hunt came across the line in sixth, a maiden point the reward for both himself and Hesketh Racing.
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