1973 Polish Rally

1973 Polish Rally 33rd Polish Rally
Round 7 of the 1973 World Rally Championship season ← Previous event Next event →
Host country	Poland
Rally base	Kraków, Poland
Dates run	12 July 1973 – 15 July 1973
Stages	55 (734 km; 456 miles)
Stage surface	Asphalt and gravel
Overall distance	3,912 km (2,431 miles)
Results
Overall winner	Achim Warmbold Jean Todt Fiat Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Crews	62 at start, 3 at finish

The 1973 Polish Rally (formally the 33rd Polish Rally) was the seventh round of the inaugural World Rally Championship season. Run in mid-July in southern Poland, this marked to only year in which Poland (or any member of the Warsaw Pact) was part of the WRC calendar until 36 years later in 2009. This edition was also notable for the fact that of the 62 teams which began the rally, only three completed it, a record that stands today.

Report[]

In 1973, and for several years afterward, only manufacturers were given points for finishes in WRC events. Despite the misfortune of most of the teams, Fiat was able to finally gain a win for their Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye. As no other major competitors were able to complete the rally, the win was by a substantial margin, the German driver outpacing the next finisher by nearly three hours.

Results[]

1973 Polish Rally results

Finish		Total time	Group	Car #	Driver Co-driver	Car	Mfr. points
Overall	In group
1	1	8 h : 28 m : 14 s	4	4	Achim Warmbold Jean Todt	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye	20
2	1	11 h : 15 m : 16 s	2	91		Wartburg 353	15
3	1	12 h : 8 m : 31 s	1	55		Polski Fiat 125p	12
Retired (excluded)			4	2	Jean-Luc Thérier	Alpine Renault A110 1800
Retired (mechanical)			4	3		Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (accident)			4	7		Porsche 911
Retired (time)			2	12		Ford Capri 2600
Retired			2	21		Polski Fiat 125p
Retired (time)			2	23		Polski Fiat 125p
Retired (accident)			2	24		Moskvich 412
Retired (mechanical)			2	26		Polski Fiat 125p
Retired			2	27		BMW 2002
Retired			2	31		Moskvich 412
Retired			2	34		Polski Fiat 125p
Retired			2	35		Polski Fiat 125p
Retired (time)			2	36		Moskvich 412
Retired (accident)			1	49		Moskvich 412
Retired (time)			1	57		Toyota Corolla
Retired (mechanical)			1	63		Polski Fiat 125p

Source: Independent WRC archive^[1]

Championship standings after the event[]

1973 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers points standings after round 7

After round 6		Team	Season end
Position	Points		Position	Points
1	92	Alpine Renault	1	147
2	63	Fiat	2	84
3	33	Citroën	7	33
4	22	Datsun	6	34
5	20	Saab	5	42
6	16	Ford	3	76
7	15	Wartburg	14	15
8	14	Volkswagen	15	15
9	13	Lancia	13	17
10	13	Peugeot	16	13
11	12	Polski Fiat	12	18
12	8	Porsche	9	27
13	5	Opel	11	25
14	4	BMW	8	28
	4	Mitsubishi	17	4
	4	Volvo	4	44
17	3	Škoda	18	3
18	2	Toyota	10	25
19	1	Audi	20	2

References[]

External links[]

• Official website of the World Rally Championship
• 1973 Rally Poland at Rallye-info