Several cars jumped the start although only Mike Wilds and Luciano Pavesi were actually penalised, the officials admitting there were several more guilty parties. It was Lafitte who took an immediate lead followed by Ethuin and Cudini with Jones the best of the English runners down in ninth place. Several midfield cars spun at the right hander on the back straight on lap 2, Passadore and Sullivan were eliminated in trying to avoid the spinners and Taylor had to pit for repairs to a damaged nosecone. Ethuin and Cudini then managed to make contact with each other on lap 3 dropping Ethuin to sixth and Cudini to last.
Mike Wilds gained a place at the expense of Alan Jones on lap 5 and Kuwashima followed suit on lap 7, one lap later everyone behind Ethuin gained a place when the Frenchman was out with a broken throttle pedal. Lafitte still led on lap 10 but his Martini was beginning to suffer from falling fuel pressure and the Martini’s lead was beginning to diminish. Michel Leclere’s Alpine was now in second place ahead of Bernard Beguin’s Martini, Jean Ragnotti’s March, Alain Serpaggi’s Alpine, Mike Wild’s penalised March and Jean Max’s March. Max lost his place to Kuwashima on lap 11 and on lap 15 the Japanese driver took Wilds for sixth.
Lafitte finally lost the lead to Leclere on lap 17 but Jacques was well clear of Beguin and Serpaggi and the leading positions remained unchanged for the rest of the race. Leclere finally took the flag 6.3 seconds ahead of Lafitte who in turn lead Beguin home by some nine seconds. Of the UK runners Kuwashima took sixth whilst Brise had been eighth with one lap to go but misread his pit board and thinking the race was over eased off, he was passed by Wilds, Jones and Max before he realised his mistake. Wilds jump start penalty eventually dropped him well out of the results.