1973 Monte Carlo Rally

1973 Monte Carlo Rally 42ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo
Round 1 of the 1973 World Rally Championship season Next event →
Host country	Monaco
Dates run	January 19, 1973 – January 29, 1973
Start location	Various cities
Finish location	Monte Carlo
Stages	18 (420 km; 260 miles)
Stage surface	Tarmac
Overall distance	4,800 km (3,000 miles)
Statistics
Crews	278 at start, 44 at finish
Overall results
Overall winner	Jean-Claude Andruet Michèle Petit Alpine Renault Alpine Renault A110 1800

The 1973 Monte Carlo Rally (formally the 42ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo), run in late January and hosted in the principality of Monaco, was the first rally on the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) new World Rally Championship (WRC) inaugural season, making it the first ever WRC event to be held.

At this time, the Monte-Carlo rally was structured as a concentration rally, with teams beginning competition in some nine different cities, with the first objective of the rally being to reach Monte Carlo, followed by two legs of competitive special stages around Monaco and southeastern France. Traditionally run on tarmac roads commonly covered in snow and ice, especially at higher altitudes, bad weather did force cancellation of two special stages in 1973.

In 1973, and for several years afterward, only manufacturers were given points for finishes in WRC events. Alpine Renault dominated the event, a portent of their further success during the season with their Alpine-Renault A110 1800 car. They would take all three podium positions and five of the top six places.

1973 Monte Carlo Rally results

Finish		Total time	Group	Car #	Driver	Car	Mfr. points
Overall	In group
1	1	5:42.04	4	18	Jean-Claude Andruet Michèle Espinosi-Petit	Alpine-Renault A110 1800	20
2	2	5:42.30	4	15	Ove Andersson Jean Todt	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
3	3	5:43.39	4	21	Jean-Pierre Nicolas Michel Vial	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
4	1	5:44.29	2	20	Hannu Mikkola Jim Porter	Ford Escort RS1600	10
5	4	5:46.01	4	4	Jean-Luc Thérier Marcel Callewaert	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
6	5	5:46.02	4	23	Jean-Francois Piot Jean-Louis Marnot	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
7	6	5:52.14	4	5	Raffaele Pinto Arnaldo Bernacchini	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye	4
8	7	5:52.15	4	16	Harry Källström Claes Billstam	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF	3
9	8	5:55.47	4	17	Tony Fall Mike Wood	Datsun 240Z	2
10	9	5:57.08	4	1	Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
11	2	5:57.51	2	3	Timo Mäkinen Henry Liddon	Ford Escort RS1600
12	3	6:02.36	2	30	Lillebror Nasenius Björn Cederberg	Opel Ascona A
13	4	6:05.37	2	44	Anders Kulläng Claes-Göran Andersson	Opel Ascona A
14	10	6:06.37	4	36	Bob Wollek Pierre Thimonier	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
15	5	6:10.57	2	7	Jean Ragnotti Jacques Jaubert	Renault 12 Gordini
16	6	6:11.20	2	12	Chris Sclater John Davenport	Ford Escort RS1600
17	7	6:11.31	2	46	Reinhard Hainbach Wulf Biebinger	BMW 2002 TI
18	11	6:14.43	4	10	Rauno Aaltonen Paul Easter	Datsun 240Z
19	1	6:15.33	1	24	Gérard Larrousse Christian Delferier	Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
20	8	6:18.22	2	79	Patrick Tambay Gérard Marion	Renault 12 Gordini
21	9	6:19.08	2	34	Bernard Fiorentino Maurice Gélin	Simca Rallye 2
22	1	6:21.25	3	33	Jacques Henry Dominque Thiry	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
23	12	6:23.33	4	39	Claude Ballot-Léna Jean-Claude Morenas	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
24	2	6:29.17	2	27	Guy Chasseuil Christian Baron	BMW 2002 TI
25	3	6:30.19	1	31	Henri Greder Henri Duclos	Opel Ascona SR
26	4	6:32.31	1	43	Jean-Claude Lagniez Martine Renier	Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
27	13	6:32.40	4	211	Klaus Russling Wolfgang Weiss	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
28	10	6:34.26	2	52	Sylvia Österberg Inga-Lill Edenring	Opel Ascona A
29	11	6:47.18	2	83	Bert Dolk Bob de Jong	Opel Ascona
30	12	6:48.27	2	32	Claude Laurent Jacques Marché	DAF 66
31	13	6:57.36	2	51	Jovica Palikovic Aleksandar Švarcer	Renault 12 Gordini
32	2	6:58.58	3	49	Alex Vineis Oswald Peri	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
33	14	7:05.59	2	54	Joachim Springer Hans-Christoph Mehmel	Opel Ascona
34	3	7:07.42	3	69	Mariane Fourton Evelyne Vanoni	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
35	15	7:14.57	2	41	Robert Mucha Ryszard Żyszkowski	Polski Fiat 125p
36	16	7:17.39	2	76	Aloyse Kridel Sr. Jos Brandenburger	BMW 2002 TI
37	17	7:18.00	2	91	Anders Sigurdsson Fergus Sager	Saab 96 V4
38	18	7:24.55	2	25	Peter Hommel Günter Bork	Wartburg 353
39	19	7:39.12	2	53	Adam Smorawiński Andrzej Zembrzuski	BMW 2002
40	14	7:41.06	4	14	Franco Perazio Giorgio Rossi	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
41	20	8:17.38	2	81	Marian Bień Janusz Wojtyna	Polski Fiat 125p
42	4	8:18.14	3	63	Serena Pittoni Juliette Keefer	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
43	5	8:58.54	1	65	Jean-Claude Depince Hervé Guyomard	Simca 1100S
44	21	9:09.14	2	74	Bertil Johansson Patrick Toorell	Opel Ascona
45	22	Retired*	2	22	Walter Röhrl Jochen Berger	Opel Commodore GS/E
46	5	Retired*	3	75	Manfred Gudladt Eckhard Erbach	Porsche 911S
47	15	Retired*	4	29	Pat Moss-Carlsson Elizabeth Crellin	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
48	16	Retired*	4	37	Hans-Joachim Walter Werner Lier	Porsche 911S
49	6	Retired*	1	72	Friedrich-Karl Tuschy Hans-Georg Eibel	Fiat 128 Coupé
50	7	Retired*	1	66	Giorgio Pianta Francesca Lurani	Opel Ascona
51	23	Retired*	2	60	Michel Robini Auguste Turuani	Audi 80
Retired			4	2	Björn Waldegård Hans Thorszelius	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired			4	6	Simo Lampinen Piero Sodano	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
Retired			4	8	Alcide Paganelli Ninni Russo	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired			4	11	Sandro Munari Mario Mannucci	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
Retired			4	14	Sergio Barbasio Gino Macaluso	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired			4	19	Amilcare Ballestrieri Silvio Maiga	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
Retired			2	28	Marie-Claude Beaumont Christine Giganot	Opel Ascona
Retired			3	40	Christine Dacremont Marie-Odile Desvignes	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			4	42	Dieter Kern Ferdi Bökmann	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
Retired			2	45	Klaus Fritzinger Günther Schons	Ford Capri 2600
Retired			3	47	Orlando Dall'Ava Sergio Maiga	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
Retired			2	48	Chris Teulinckx Etienne Stalpaert	Opel Ascona
Retired			2	50	Nicolas Koob Leon Linden	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			3	55	Michel Jullien Yves Célestin	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			3	57	Jean-Charles Sévelinge Joseph Sévelinge	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			2	59	Elbie Odendaal Christo Kuun	Ford Escort Mexico
Retired			3	62	Thierry Sabine Pierre Terry	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			1	64	Borivoj Kresnik Doko Novaković	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			2	67	Francis Serpaggi Jean Sialelli	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
Retired			2	70	Hans Schüller Hermann Weidmann	Renault 12 Gordini
Retired			1	71	Noël Labaune Jean L. Maurin	Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Retired			1	73	Hans Henrik Andersen Terje Austad	BMW 2800 CS
Retired			2	77	Andrzej Jaroszewicz Andrzej Szulc	Polski Fiat 125p
Retired			1	78	Alberto Brambilla Federico Bettoni	Opel Ascona SR
Retired			4	82	Umberto de Bonis Maria T. Pelossa	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			2	84	Maciej Stawowiak Lech Jaworowicz	Polski Fiat 125p
Retired			2	85	Thomas Teves J. Leowenhardt	Opel Ascona
Retired			2	87	Jochen Schweiger Jürgen Säckl	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			2	88	Leif Vold-Johansen Knut Steen	Saab 96 V4
Retired			3	90	Gérard Dantan-Merlin Vincent Laverne	Porsche 911 S 2.4
Retired			2	92	Norbert Ullemeyer Klaus Kaltenbach	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			2	93	Hans Ullmann Werner Lange	Trabant P601
Retired			1	94	Fulvio Rubbieri Giorgio Bottai	Opel Ascona SR
Retired			1	95	Leo Pittoni Guido Braschi	Fiat 124
Retired			1	96	Egon Culmbacher Werner Ernst	Wartburg 353
Retired			2	97	Yoshinori Yamaguchi Yoshikasu Nakajima	Toyota Celica 1600
Retired			2	98	Francis Dubler-Gestro Paul Brossin	Renault 12 Gordini
Retired			2	99	Helmut Piehler Lothar Sachse	Trabant P601
Retired			4	100	Domenico Lo Bello Ricardo Carafa	Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF
Retired			2	101	Ramón Grifoll Oliva Pedro Ferraté	BLMC Austin Victoria[1]
Retired			2	102	Karlfried Weigert Bernhard Malsch	Wartburg 353
Retired			4	103	Detlef Mühleck Siegfried Zepfel	Porsche 911 S
Retired			2	105	Alain Follin Christian Schilder	Simca Rallye 2
Retired			2	106	Franz Galle Jochen Müller	Trabant P601
Retired			1	107	Gerhard Gottlieb Horst Hartsch	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			1	108	Jean-Pierre Rouget Ginette Derolland	Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Retired			3	109	Christian Dorche Jean Pallanca	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			1	110	Patrick Beaudoin Gérard Laborie	Fiat 128 Coupé
Retired			3	111	Renzo Druetto Renato Davico	Lancia Fulvia
Retired			2	112	Heinz Gellert Horst Bins	Ford Capri 2600 RS
Retired			4	113	Giancarlo Zunino Pasqualino Scagliola	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			1	114	Bernard Donguès Christian Soulie	Fiat 127
Retired			2	115	Félix Capra Michel Peyret	Renault 12 Gordini
Retired			3	116	Friedrich von der Leyen Klaus Klingenberger	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			1	117	Per A. Bakke Egil Moreite	Opel Ascona 1.9 SR
Retired			3	118	Maurizio Garavelli Wainer Rivaroli	Alpine-Renault A110
Retired			2	119	Gabriel Ratto Albin Cuccinelli	Datsun Cherry
Retired			1	120	Bjørn Harris Hansen Per Siversten	Volvo 144S
Retired			2	121	Rudi Eberhardt Wolfgang Druba	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			1	122	Monty Karlan Arve Herstrøm	Ford Escort Mexico
Retired			1	123	Michele Avenoso Alberto Corzino	Fiat 128 Coupé
Retired			2	124	Ronald Hancock James Gray	Ford Escort
Retired			4	125	Giangiacomo Oddero G. Magnani	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			1	126	Carlo Bianchi Stefano Canella	Fiat 128 Coupé
Retired			3	127	Horst Rack Helmut Köhler	Porsche 911S
Retired				128	Michele di Gioia Luigi Mastrorosa	Porsche 911T
Retired			4	130	Reiner Altenheimer Willy Schleim	Porsche 911S
Retired			2	131	Steinar Svendsen Jan Gundersen	Renault 12 Gordini
Retired			2	132	Heinz-Bernd Wessels Lothar Siebert	Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Super
Retired			2	133	Jose Piger Jean Forestier	Fiat 128 Sport
Retired			2	134	Jordi Marco Garcia José Buixeda	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			1	135	Horst Rausch Thomas Fischer	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			1	137	Yves Carbonatto Jean-Guy Fedreghini	Citroën DS 21
Retired			1	138	Gérard Masset "Richard Lord"	Triumph 2.5PI
Retired			1	139	Valerio Morra Claudio Ferri	Fiat 128 Coupé
Retired			1	140	Hans-Leofrid Schürer Rolf Welzenbach	BMW 2002 Ti
Retired			2	141	Eugen Hesse Arno Fischer	Simca Rallye 2
Retired			1	142	Ingo Peters K. Klockner R. Flieger	Opel Kadett 1100
Retired			2	143	Giancarlo Monti Walter Finzi	Fiat 128 Coupé
Retired			1	144	Roger Adonto Patrick Pierron	Audi 80
Retired			2	147	Klaus Miersch Karlheinz Fröhlich	Opel Ascona
Retired			2	149	Bruno Saby Jacques Penon	Renault 12 Gordini
Retired			2	150	Antoni Puigdellivol Riberaygua Marcos Domenech	Fiat 128 Rally
Retired			1	153	Jean Taibi Michèle Mouton	Peugeot 304S
Retired			2	163	Bonaventura Riberaygua Esteve Ferran Font Riudeubàs	Ford Escort 1600
Retired			4	173	Georges Develay René Develay	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
Retired			2	195	Mike Dodds Brian Englefield	BMC Mini Cooper
Retired			2	202	Michael Clarke Neil Inigo-Jones	Ford Escort
Retired			2	203	Eckhard Schimpf Ernst-Johann Zauner	Ford Capri 2600 RS
Retired			2	212	Tony Maslen David Higson	Ford Escort
Retired			4	215	Jacques Marquet Dennis Gillet	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
Retired			2	229	Salvador Servià Montserrat Imbers	SEAT 127
Retired			2	230	Clive Roberts Michael Siveyer	Ford Escort
Retired			2	255	Wolfgang Stiller Axel Wagener	BMW 2002
Retired			1	265	Wolf-Dieter Giese Günter Scheffel	Opel Ascona SR
Retired			1	274	Friedhelm Gaupp Peter Diekmann	Opel Kadett Rallye
Retired			2	277	Jochi Kleint Harry Zwiers	Ford Capri 2600
Retired			3	310	Christian Lorang André Haller	Alpine-Renault A110 1600
* - Note: 7 teams retired during the final leg, but were still officially included in the final race classifications.

Source: Independent WRC archive,^[2] eWRC Results^[3]

The rally was cancelled after 3 stages due to road blocks.

1973 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers points standings after round 1

After round 1		Team	Season end
Position	Points		Position	Points
1	20	Alpine Renault	1	147
2	10	Ford	3	76
3	4	Fiat	2	84
4	3	Lancia	13	17
5	2	Datsun	6	34

• Official website of the World Rally Championship
• 1973 Rally Monte Carlo Archived 2007-05-04 at the Wayback Machine at Rallye-info Archived 2020-06-27 at the Wayback Machine