This 12 lap round of the French Formula 3 Championship was supporting the European 2-litre Sports Car Championship event. Jacques Lafitte took pole position in his works Martini, he was using the car usually driven by Jean-Pierre Paoli after damaging his normal chassis in a testing accident. Second fastest 0.7 seconds slower than Lafitte was Michel Leclere in the works Alpine-Renault, the sister Alpine of Alain Serpaggi was third.
The three front row men led away from the start with Lafitte and Leclere constantly swopping the lead as Serpaggi kept a watching brief in third until his Alpine lost a wheel fortunately without injury to Serpaggi. Next up were Larry Perkins and Bernard Beguin but the Cowangie Kid began to suffer from brake fade and gradually dropped away to finish sixth. Back at the front Lafitte and Leclere continued their fantastic battle for the lead with both men taking it in turns at the front but at the finish line it was Lafitte that kept the nose of his Martini in front to win by 0.3 seconds.
f3 HISTORY
RACES
Race Report: Clermont Ferrand, 17 June 1973
Race Heat 1
1 Vittorio Brambilla
Birel Alfa Romeo 20:09.40
2 Fabrizio Noe
Lotus-Ford 69 20:09.50
3 Luigi Fontanesi
Tecno-Ford 20:13.10
4 Carlo Franchi (Gimax)
De Sanctis-Alfa Romeo 20:23.40
Race Heat 2
1 Giovanni Lo Voi
Brabham-Ford BT28 15:05.00
2 Adelmo Fossati
Brabham BT28 15:05.00
3 Patrice Compain
Martini-Ford MW7 15:21.00
4 Manfred Möhr
Lotus-Ford 15:34.10
5 Marcello Gallo
Brabham BT28
Race Final
1 Vittorio Brambilla
Birel Alfa Romeo 30:44.30 144.318
2 Marcello Gallo
Brabham BT28 30:44.34
3 Fabrizio Noe
Lotus-Ford 69 30:45.10
4 Adelmo Fossati
Brabham BT28 30:55.40
5 Patrice Compain
Martini-Ford MW7 31:08.00
6 Carlo Franchi (Gimax)
De Sanctis-Alfa Romeo 31:11.50
7 Manfred Möhr
Lotus-Ford 31:59.60
8 Giovanni Lo Voi
Martini-Ford MW7 31:08.00