1973 Argentine Grand Prix

The 1973 Argentine Grand Prix, otherwise known as the X Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina, was the opening round of the 1973 FIA Formula One World Championship, held on the 28th of January 1973.'GRAND PRIX RESULTS: ARGENTINE GP, 1973', grandprix.com, (Inside F1 Inc., 2016), http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr221.html, (Accessed 12/02/2017) The race would see the resumption of the / battle from , with the two British teams locking out the podium.
Qualifying, however, had seen an upset for the two pre-season favourites, as swept to pole courtesy of new lead driver Clay Regazzoni. He would share the front row with defending World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, while the second row would see Jacky Ickx beat Jackie Stewart to third.
When the flag fell on raceday it would be a stunning three way battle into the first corner, with Fittipaldi, Regazzoni, and rising star François Cevert going wheel to wheel after excellent starts. A sensational drive carried young Cevert through to the lead, having started down in sixth, with Regazzoni carrying the fight into turn two to snatch the lead.
The opening phase of the race would see very little change at the front of the field, with attention focusing on Stewart as he climbed up the order after a poor start. The Scot's charge would end up with the #6 Tyrrell in second on lap 32, after both he and teammate Cevert moved past Regazzoni when the Swiss racer began to struggle with tyre wear.
Regazzoni would ultimately tumble down the order over the following laps, with Fittipaldi and Ronnie Peterson making their way through on laps 33 and 34 respectively. The two Tyrrells and the two Loti would then run together at the front of the field in a stalemate, suggesting that the Tyrrell 005 and Lotus 72D were very evenly matched.
It seemed as if the only thing that would upset the top four would be mechanical trouble, demonstrated on lap 68 when Peterson's engine expired. Tyre wear then came into play, Stewart's pace deteriorating on lap 76, allowing Fittipaldi to cruise past for second.
The Brazilian was therefore left with a chance to attack Cevert for the lead, with a terrific duel between the two resolved in favour of Fittipaldi ten laps from the end. Fittipaldi therefore had the perfect start to his title defence with victory ahead of Cevert, while Stewart held onto third despite a late charge by Ickx. Denny Hulme and Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior completed the scorers.
==Background==
The winter of 1972/3 had seen the FIA backed Grand Prix International organisation, representing circuit owners and race organisers enter a dispute with the teams, who were united under the Formula One Constructors' Association banner.D.S.J., 'Argentine Grand Prix: Lotus Win a Classic Race', motorsportmagazine.com, (Motor Sport, 01/03/1973), http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1973/54/argentine-grand-prix-lotus-win-classic-race, (Accessed 12/02/2017) The issue was largely over prize money and funding, although those issues were not present for the season opener, despite a brief period in which the event had been cancelled due to finances. Safety concerns off the circuit were also addressed, an increased police presence ensuring the teams, drivers and 100,000 fans could travel to the Autodromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires in relative peace. The circuit itself was unchanged from 1972, all of the major upgrade works having been completed prior to the previous season's event.
Into the entry list and had spent big in the winter, signing 1971 runner-up Ronnie Peterson to partner defending World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, with the pair given equal status. Their challenger, the Lotus 72D remained unchanged over the winter, although Colin Chapman was plotting an update for the car to appear later in the season. Indeed the only change for the Norfolk squad was a new tyre deal, with Goodyear obtaining a deal to supply the World Champions after Firestone announced their plan to withdraw from the series, only to commit to a further season.
Lotus' major rivals in 1973 were once again expected to by , who had moved into new premises in Ockham, Surrey to prepare for the new season. The team would field double World Champion Jackie Stewart alongside promising youth François Cevert, the pair using the same cars that they had finished the 1972 Championship in. That said the teams' lead designer Derek Gardner had come up with the new 006/2, an evolution of the teams current 005 and 006 chassis, set to appear at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Bernie Ecclestone had increased his shares in during 1972, and in the winter the businessman had installed Herbie Blash as sporting director to replace Keith Greene. Another new face would be South African engineer Gordon Murray, who had spent the break designing the new BT42, although time restraints meant that it would only arrive in time for the European season. Their driver line up also featured some changes with Carlos Reutemann, responsible for most of the fans in Argentina, promoted to lead driver, while Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior came in to fill the second seat. This change had been prompted by Graham Hill, whom had left at the end of the 1972 season after a rumoured fallout with Ecclestone.
 arrived in Argentina after another quiet winter, with lead designer Gordon Coppuck designing the new M23, although it was not quite ready for the start of the season. Drivers Denny Hulme and Peter Revson would therefore start the new campaign in their familiar M19Cs, which were to remain dressed in the colours of title sponsor Yardley.
Elsewhere John Surtees and his Team Surtees effort had been busy evolving their Surtees TS14 design, which would start the season as the "TS14A". The car had been through an extensive testing programme, conducted by Surtees and Tim Schenken after the debut of the TS14, although they would not be racing the car in 1973. Instead the new TS14As would be put into the hands of Mike Hailwood and Carlos Pace, the latter hoping the update design would turn promise into results.
, in contrast, were in a real mire at the start of the 1973, down to just one factory backed 721G for Frenchman Jean-Pierre Jarier. A second 721G could be found in the semi-factory blessed hands of Mike Beuttler, who had a large number of backers for the new season, although both cars were well prepared. Indeed, there was some speculation that the 721Gs were well under the minimum weight limit that the FIA had implemented on the 1st of January, although the two cars went through scrutineering without issue.
The departure of at the end of the 1972 season had caused some concern that F1 was losing its appeal, with the French firm quitting Grand Prix racing in favour of their more successful endurance programme. However, the incredible DFV engine was countering this threat, with new constructors signing up before the start of the season. Two of these, and , based in the United States and Brazil respectively, hoped to debut their cars at the start of the European season, if not earlier, while third firm were in Argentina.
Indeed, Iso-Marlboro had partnered with the bankrupt Frank Williams Racing Cars effort at the end of 1972, effectively saving Frank Williams' team on the basis that they would use the Renzo Rivolta/Philip Morris creation. Two chassis were an evolution of Williams' old Politoys FX3 chassis from 1972, with almost every component improved, while the team also found replacements for outgoing drivers Henri Pescarolo and Pace. In came New Zealander Howden Ganley and Italian Nanni Galli to pilot the new cars, both bringing some minor sponsors into the team.
The non-Cosworth powered section of the field was down to just two entrants with and , both having difficult winters after struggling in 1972. The relationship between Enzo Ferrari and FIAT had deteriorated amid a poor season, with funds and personnel being withdrawn from the F1 team as fiscal reality hit the team. That said, there would still be two scarlet cars in the field for the season opener, with Jacky Ickx and Arturo Merzario partnered together to race the now three year old 312B2s.
As for , their troubles over the winter had been eased by a major sponsor deal with Marlboro, allowing them to continue their trend of running three cars. Their trio consisted of Clay Regazzoni, Jean-Pierre Beltoise and upcoming youth Niki Lauda, with fourth driver Vern Schuppan left back in the U.K. The cars themselves were unchanged, the P160 a well engineered, if underdeveloped, design that should allow BRM to at least hold on in the midfield pack.
Several big names would not make an appearance in Argentina, while there were no privateers in customer cars. Hill had left Brabham to form Embassy Hill with ambitions to race one of the new Shadows, while Chris Amon was signed up by upstarts , conspicuous by their absence. Pescarolo was focusing on endurance racing rather than F1 having left Williams, while countless other stars were absent having failed to secure deals at their preferred teams.
===Entry list===
The full entry list for the is outlined below:
No. 	Driver 	Entrant 	Constructor 	Chassis 	Engine 	Model 	Tyre
2 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	John Player Team Lotus 	 	72D 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
4 	Ronnie Peterson 	John Player Team Lotus 	 	72D 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
6 	Jackie Stewart 	Elf Team Tyrrell 	 	005 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
8 	François Cevert 	Elf Team Tyrrell 	 	006 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
10 	Carlos Reutemann 	Motor Racing Developments Ltd. 	 	BT37 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
12 	Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior 	Motor Racing Developments Ltd. 	 	BT37 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
14 	Denny Hulme 	Yardley Team McLaren 	 	M19C 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
16 	Peter Revson 	Yardley Team McLaren 	 	M19C 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
18 	Jacky Ickx 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312B2 	 	001/1 3.0 F12 	
20 	Arturo Merzario 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312B2 	 	001/1 3.0 F12 	
22 	Mike Beuttler 	Clarke-Mordaunt-Guthrie Racing 	 	721G 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
24 	Jean-Pierre Jarier 	STP March Racing Team 	 	721G 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
26 	Mike Hailwood 	Brooke Bond Oxo Team Surtees 	 	TS14A 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
28 	Carlos Pace 	Brooke Bond Oxo Team Surtees 	 	TS14A 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
30 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise 	Marlboro BRM 	 	P160D 	 	P142 3.0 V12 	
32 	Clay Regazzoni 	Marlboro BRM 	 	P160D 	 	P142 3.0 V12 	
34 	Niki Lauda 	Marlboro BRM 	 	P160C 	 	P142 3.0 V12 	
36 	Nanni Galli 	Frank Williams Racing Cars 	 	FX3B 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
38 	Howden Ganley 	Frank Williams Racing Cars 	 	FX3B 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/engages.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)
==Practice Overview==
==Qualifying==
Five hours of running was scheduled for the first round of the 1973 season, with both Friday and Saturday hosting two sessions apiece to allow the nineteen drivers to practice and qualify their cars. Four sessions would be split into two runs of one hour and two runs of one and a half hours, the latter being held as the earliest session on each day. The target time for almost all of the drivers would be the circuit record of 1:12.46, set by Carlos Reutemann en-route to pole in 1972.
===Report===
After an unofficial "training" session on Thursday to allow both teams and drivers to familiarise themselves with the circuit, Friday's first session saw all of the field get out and record a time. Cool temperatures meant that everyone avoided engine trouble, although Ronnie Peterson would miss out on a fair amount of running after a bearing failure. The pace in the early session was also impressive, with Clay Regazzoni surprising many by claiming provisional pole before the break with a 1:11.53, almost a second quicker than the old record.
Friday afternoon saw the pace inch up again, with Regazzoni just falling shy of his best time before a wheel failure ended his running for the day. Emerson Fittipaldi, meanwhile, was quietly going about his business, and a late run saw the Brazilian snatch provisional pole just before the end of the session, claiming a 1:11.18 on his last attempt. Jackie Stewart pushed Regazzoni down to a provisional third, while Jacky Ickx and Jean-Pierre Beltoise also snuck into the 1:11.00s before the end of the day.
Warmer temperatures on Saturday meant that times were expected to come down as tyres came to the fore, despite increased concern for the engines in the increased heat. Goodyear and Firestone had arranged for their teams to be separated in the pits, and given the fact that Goodyear supplied the cream of the crop, almost no attention was paid to those at the Firestone end of the pitlane. This fact would catch out everyone in the final session, when the pace really ramped up, with the early session seeing the cars adapted to cope with the heat.
The circuit was quiet until the final half an hour of the final session, with temperatures just beginning to fall as the sun dropped lower in the sky. First out to set a quick lap was Peterson after a difficult Friday, with the young Swede battling his way to a 1:11.06, just edged out by double world Champion Stewart with a 1:11.03. Both were then surpassed by the scarlet Ferrari of Jacky Ickx, who had spent the earlier session getting his spare car up to speed, the Belgian besting the Scot by just 0.02s.
Next to set a strong time would be Emerson Fittipaldi, dipping under the 1:11.00 mark for the first time, in the midst of a relatively long run. But, as the Brazilian racer attracted the eyes of the fans with his steady climb in pace, Regazzoni went out and recorded a stunning 1:10.54, before returning to the pits before anyone bar the officials had noticed. Fittipaldi, meanwhile, came into the pits a few minutes later thinking he had pole, Team Lotus confirming he had set a 1:10.84, only to find that a red faced Regazzoni had beaten him by 0.30s.
===Qualifying Results===
The full qualifying results for the are outlined below:
Pos. 	No. 	Driver 	Constructor 	Time 	Time 	Time 	Time 	Gap
Pos. 	No. 	Driver 	Constructor 	P1 	P2 	P3 	P4 	Gap
1 	32 	Clay Regazzoni 	 	1:11.53 	1:11.58 	1:11.62 	1:10.54 	—
2 	2 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	 	1:11.87 	1:11.18 	1:11.87 	1:10.84 	+0.30s
3 	18 	Jacky Ickx 	 	1:12.52 	1:11.75 	1:12.91T 	1:11.01 	+0.47s
4 	6 	Jackie Stewart 	 	1:11.72 	1:11.31 	1:11.53 	1:11.03 	+0.49s
5 	4 	Ronnie Peterson 	 	1:14.08 	— 	1:11.87 	1:11.06 	+0.52s
6 	8 	François Cevert 	 	1:13.36 	1:12.06 	1:23.36 	1:11.46 	+0.92s
7 	30 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise 	 	1:13.88 	1:11.77 	1:12.12 	1:11.48 	+0.94s
8 	14 	Denny Hulme 	 	1:27.41 	1:11.88 	1:15.62 	1:11.70 	+1.16s
9 	10 	Carlos Reutemann 	 	1:13.49 	1:12.66 	1:15.24 	1:12.08 	+1.54s
10 	26 	Mike Hailwood 	 	1:13.79 	1:13.59 	1:13.84 	1:12.13 	+1.59s
11 	16 	Peter Revson 	 	1:14.21 	1:12.22 	1:12.79 	— 	+1.68s
12 	12 	Wilson Fittipaldi 	 	1:14.06 	1:13.78 	1:13.04 	1:12.31 	+1.77s
13 	34 	Niki Lauda 	 	1:13.37 	1:12.55 	1:13.79 	1:12.39 	+1.85s
14 	20 	Arturo Merzario 	 	1:14.10 	— 	— 	1:12.54 	+2.00s
15 	28 	Carlos Pace 	 	1:13.76 	1:12.80 	1:13.13 	— 	+2.26s
16 	36 	Nanni Galli 	 	1:17.81 	— 	1:16.37 	1:13.97 	+3.43s
17 	24 	Jean-Pierre Jarier 	 	1:15.37 	1:15.04 	1:14.64 	1:14.27 	+3.73s
18 	22 	Mike Beuttler 	 	1:15.98 	1:15.30 	1:15.91 	1:15.15 	+4.61s
19 	38 	Howden Ganley 	 	1:19.62 	— 	1:15.36 	1:15.29 	+4.75s
Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Qualifications', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/qualification.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)
*T Indicates a driver set their best time from that session in their test/spare car.
===Grid===
==Race==
Overnight the crowd would swell to 100,000 fans, with an estimated 10,000 coming over from Brazil, to support the South American contingent, Carlos Reutemann being adored by the home fans. Unfortunately for them the Argentine racer would start his home race down in ninth, but a pre-race shakedown session in the morning had seen his pace improve, with everyone else ready to battle. After a parade of drivers, Marlboro girls and security vehicles the field was ready to go, with the gleaming field all sat on the grid awaiting the fall of the flag at precisely 3:00pm.
===Report===
A huge cloud of dust erupted the moment the nineteen Grand Prix cars got underway, so it was only those sat on the outside of the first corner that got to see the three way fight for the lead. Into turn one went Clay Regazzoni, Emerson Fittipaldi and a blue-white in the hands of François Cevert side-by-side, and it was the young Frenchman who swept into the lead on the outside. Cevert's time in front was to be cut short just one corner later, however, as Regazzoni sent his down the inside of the Frenchman into turn two, with Cevert just about able to deny Fittipaldi from second.
The rest of the opening lap was a lively affair, with Mike Hailwood getting as high as sixth in the , only to go for a spin partway round the lap to drop back down the order. Jackie Stewart, meanwhile, had made a poor start to lose out to Cevert and Hailwood, before a rare mistake through turn one saw him edged back to eighth. He spent the rest of the opening lap glued to the back of Denny Hulme, while home hero Reutemann was stuck just behind in ninth.
The early laps breezed past for the leaders, with Regazzoni trying everything he knew to build a lead over Cevert. After four laps the Swiss racer had built a three second lead, but his attempts to pull further ahead were in vain, the gap remaining at three seconds as the 10 lap mark flashed past. Cevert, for his part, was being stalked by the two black-gold Loti of Fittipaldi and Ronnie Peterson, while Stewart moved past Hulme and Jacky Ickx to sit behind former teammate Jean-Pierre Beltoise, with the top four pulling away up the road.
Only one driver had retired in the opening laps, that man being Nanni Galli in one of the s on the opening lap with a loss of power to the water pump. Then, on lap 11, Team Surtees lost both cars to unrelated mechanical problems, much to the 1964 Champion's dismay. First out went Hailwood with a driveshaft failure while trying to climb up the order, before a suspension failure forced Carlos Pace into the pits just as he was challenging for a top ten spot.
The stalemate at the front of the field was ongoing as Team Surtees hit trouble, with Stewart the only man to make any progress when he finally elbowed his way past Beltoise. The moment the Scot broke free he was on the hunt, quickly closing onto the back of Peterson to put the Swede under some immense pressure. As this was going on Regazzoni's lead was slowly being chipped away, the Swiss racer's tyres beginning to lose their edge due to the high pace.
By lap 29 the Swiss racer could not hold on and Cevert duly swept into the lead without much resistance, before quickly establishing a small lead. Yet, before the two Loti could elbow their way past the BRM, Stewart came scything through to take all three of them on lap 32. From nowhere there was now a Tyrrell one-two, while it took Fittipaldi and Peterson another lap to move past the struggling Regazzoni.
Half distance flew past a few laps later with the top four glued together, while Regazzoni fell into the sights of teammate Beltoise, just as the Frenchman's tyres lost their edge. They were soon claimed by the of Ickx, who was much happier now that the car was losing weight through burning fuel, and the two orange s. Joining those two would be Wilson Fittipaldi in the , who had been able to progress through the field once the third BRM of Niki Lauda hit tyre troubles.
Overheating tyres were affecting several drivers as the race headed towards its conclusion, Stewart the most high profile of those having to cope with a badly blistered tyre. For the time being his pace was holding, enough to keep teammate Cevert in sight while also fending off the Lotus threat behind, although the intense pace was not aiding his cause. Peterson was also hanging on in the lead quartet, but his race would come to an end on lap 67 when his Cosworth engine lost oil pressure.
Back with Regazzoni and the Swiss racer had given up on his tyres, pitting for a fresh set of Firestones for the final thirty laps. His pace on the fresh set was impressive, equalling the best times of the leaders, but the change had pushed the Swiss racer back by three laps. Teammate Beltoise made a similar move a few laps later, only to have his engine expire, while the third car in the hands of Lauda went out after a sudden drop in oil pressure.
The Stewart/Fittipaldi fight was drawing the collective eye of the fans as the race entered the final quarter, with the Brazilian trying everything he could to force the Scot into a mistake. Ultimately, the pressure would tell, with the black/gold Lotus outbraking the blue/white Tyrrell into the final chicane, causing the stands to erupt in excitement. Stewart's tyres were shot by this stage leaving him unable to respond, allowing Fittipaldi to scamper away in pursuit of Cevert, the Frenchman's lead having ballooned out during the Scotland/Brazil battle.
The fastest lap of the race was set on lap 79, in the middle of Fittipaldi's charge, a 1:11.22 putting him right onto the back of Cevert's gearbox. Yet, the Frenchman was determined to claim victory, and so a terrific scrap between the pair saw Cevert make no mistakes to thwart the World Champion. Yet, the Brazilian still had a trick up his sleeve, and on lap 86, just ten from the end, Fittipaldi managed to get his nose up the inside of Cevert into turn ten, get two wheels on the inside kerb and beat the Frenchman on the brakes into the chicane, before pulling away down the start/finish straight, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
With that the race was run, Fittipaldi sweeping home to take the first win of the season for Team Lotus, 4.7 seconds ahead of Cevert. Stewart suffered a slow puncture in the closing stages, just avoiding the attentions of Ickx, who was on course to take the final podium spot until his Ferrari engine starved itself of fuel. Behind Ickx came Hulme in fifth, a position he inherited when a late race failure put teammate Peter Revson out of contention, while Wilson Fittipaldi survived to claim his first Championship point in sixth, two laps ahead of the flying Regazzoni, who just fell shy of the fastest lap on his fresh tyres.
===Results===
The full results for the are outlined below:
Pos. 	No. 	Driver 	Constructor 	Laps 	Time/Retired 	Grid 	Points
1 	2 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	 	96 	1:56:18.22 	2 	9
2 	8 	François Cevert 	 	96 	+4.96s 	6 	6
3 	6 	Jackie Stewart 	 	96 	+33.19s 	4 	4
4 	18 	Jacky Ickx 	 	96 	+42.57s 	3 	3
5 	14 	Denny Hulme 	 	95 	+1 Lap 	8 	2
6 	12 	Wilson Fittipaldi 	 	95 	+1 Lap 	12 	1
7 	32 	Clay Regazzoni 	 	93 	+3 Laps 	1 	
8 	16 	Peter Revson 	 	92 	+4 Laps 	11 	
9 	20 	Arturo Merzario 	 	92 	+4 Laps 	14 	
10 	22 	Mike Beuttler 	 	90 	Out of fuel 	18 	
Ret 	24 	Jean-Pierre Jarier 	 	84 	Radiator 	17 	
Ret 	30 	Jean-Pierre Beltoise 	 	79 	Engine 	7 	
NC* 	38 	Howden Ganley 	 	79 	+17 Laps 	19 	
Ret 	4 	Ronnie Peterson 	 	67 	Oil leak 	5 	
Ret 	34 	Niki Lauda 	 	66 	Oil pressure 	13 	
Ret 	10 	Carlos Reutemann 	 	16 	Gearbox 	9 	
Ret 	28 	Carlos Pace 	 	10 	Suspension 	15 	
Ret 	26 	Mike Hailwood 	 	10 	Transmission 	10 	
Ret 	36 	Nanni Galli 	 	0 	Water pump 	16 	
Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)	Source:'Argentina 1973: Result', statsf1.com, (Stats F1, 2016), http://www.statsf1.com/en/1973/argentine/classement.aspx, (Accessed 12/02/2017)
** Ganley could not be classified as he had not completed 90% of the race distance.
==Milestones==
*Eleventh and final pole position for .
*Emerson Fittipaldi earned a seventh career win.
**Fittipaldi recorded his first fastest lap.
* claimed their 48th victory.
**Also the 52nd victory for engine partner .
* claimed their twentieth podium finish.
==Standings==
Victory for Emerson Fittipaldi ensured that the defending World Champion started his title defence in excellent form, leaving the opening round with nine points. François Cevert and Jackie Stewart were next having completed the first podium of the season, while Jacky Ickx sat in fourth. Ex-World Champion Denny Hulme had two points to his name in Argentina, while Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior completed the scorers list.
The / scrap for the International Cup for Manufacturers had seen the former claim first blood in the 1973 campaign, courtesy of Fittipaldi's victory. Cevert's second place left Tyrrell in second, three points down on the Norfolk squad, while sat in third thanks to Ickx. and were also on the scorers list after the opening bout.
 
Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship
Pos. 	Driver 	Pts 	+/-
1 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	9 	
2 	François Cevert 	6 	
3 	Jackie Stewart 	4 	
4 	Jacky Ickx 	3 	
5 	Denny Hulme 	2 	
6 	Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior 	1 	
Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers	Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers	Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers	Intercontinental Cup for Manufacturers
Pos. 	Team 	Pts 	+/-
1 	 	9 	
2 	 	6 	
3 	 	3 	
4 	 	2 	
5 	 	1 	
==References==
Images and Videos:
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References: 
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:Argentine Grand Prix
Category:1973 Grands Prix