1973 Rallye de Portugal

1973 Rallye de Portugal 7th TAP Rally of Portugal
Round 3 of the 1973 World Rally Championship season ← Previous event Next event →
Host country	Portugal
Dates run	March 13, 1973 – March 18, 1973
Start location	Various cities in Europe
Finish location	Estoril, Portugal
Stages	32 (387 km; 240 miles)
Stage surface	Asphalt and gravel
Overall distance	4,600 km (2,900 miles)
Results
Overall winner	Jean-Luc Thérier Alpine Renault Alpine Renault A110 1800
Crews	80 at start, 23 at finish

The 1973 Rallye de Portugal (formally the 7th TAP Rally of Portugal) was the third round of the inaugural World Rally Championship season. Run in mid-March in southern Portugal on a mixture of asphalt and gravel, the rally began with a concentration run from a number of European cities, covering about 4,600 km and ending in Estoril, Portugal.

Report[]

In 1973, and for several years afterward, only manufacturers were given points for finishes in WRC events. As in the earlier Monte Carlo Rally, the Alpine A110s led the event, taking first and second place well ahead of other competitors. Fiat had a disastrous rally, with all three of its cars failing to finish, limiting Fiat to points gained from local entrants. Despite a significant number of international entries, only four non-Portuguese teams finished in the top 15 at the end.

Results[]

1973 Rallye de Portugal results

Finish		Total time	Group	Car #	Driver Co-driver	Car	Mfr. points
Overall	In group
1	1	5 h : 42 m : 16 s	4	5	Jean-Luc Thérier	Alpine-Renault A110 1800	20
2	2	5 h : 48 m : 57 s	4	1	Jean-Pierre Nicolas	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
3	1	6 h : 7 m : 48 s	2	20	Francisco Romaozinho	Citroën DS 21	12
4	3	6 h : 10 m : 40 s	4	15		Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye	10
5	4	6 h : 17 m : 0 s	4	19		Porsche 911	8
6	5	6 h : 41 m : 0 s	4	14		Alpine-Renault A110 1800
7	1	6 h : 51 m : 40 s	1	25		Opel Ascona	4
8	2	6 h : 56 m : 9 s	1	58		Opel Ascona
9	2	7 h : 4 m : 47 s	2	52		Ford Capri 2600	2
10	6	7 h : 5 m : 24 s	4	16		Porsche 911
11	3	7 h : 10 m : 26 s	1	64		Datsun 1200
12	3	7 h : 21 m : 51 s	2	12		DAF 55
13	4	7 h : 26 m : 27 s	2	80		BMW 2002
14	4	7 h : 43 m : 15 s	1	69		Datsun 1200
15	5	7 h : 43 m : 43 s	1	67		Datsun 1200
16	6	7 h : 47 m : 47 s	1	54		Chrysler Avenger
17	5	7 h : 53 m : 27 s	2	66
18	7	7 h : 59 m : 39 s	1	85		Toyota
19	8	8 h : 13 m : 12 s	1	39		Volkswagen 1303S
20	6	8 h : 38 m : 40 s	2	68		Austin Maxi
21	9	8 h : 51 m : 56 s	1	97		Citroën GS
22	10	8 h : 56 m : 19 s	1	38		Citroën GS
23	7	9 h : 13 m : 22 s	2	99		DAF 55
Retired (mechanical)			4	2		Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (mechanical)			4	3	Bernard Darniche	Alpine Renault A110 1800
Retired (accident)			4	4	Björn Waldegård	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (mechanical)			4	6	Raffaele Pinto	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (mechanical)			4	7		Datsun 240Z
Retired (mechanical)			2	8	Achim Warmbold	BMW 2002
Retired (accident)			2	9	Ove Andersson Jean Todt	Toyota Celica
Retired (mechanical)			2	10	Harry Källström	Volkswagen 1302S
Retired (mechanical)			2	11	Tony Fall	Volkswagen 1303S
Retired (accident)			4	17		Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (mechanical)			4	18	Barata	Datsun 240Z
Retired (mechanical)			4	21		Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (mechanical)			1	22		Opel Ascona
Retired (mechanical)			2	23		Ford Escort RS1600
Retired (mechanical)			1	26		Morris Mini Cooper
Retired (mechanical)			2	27		Citroën DS 21
Retired (mechanical)			2	30		Ford Escort RS1600
Retired			2	32		Ford Escort RS1600
Retired (mechanical)			2	34		Volkswagen 1302S
Retired (mechanical)			1	35		Opel Ascona
Retired (accident)			2	36		Volkswagen 1302S
Retired (mechanical)			1	42		BMW 2002 TII
Retired (mechanical)			1	44		BMW 2002 TII
Retired (mechanical)			1	45		BMW 2002 TII
Retired (mechanical)			1	51		Opel Ascona
Retired			1	55		Opel Ascona
Retired (mechanical)			2	65	Joaquim Moutinho	Austin Maxi
Retired (accident)			2	83		Ford Escort RS1600

Source: Independent WRC archive^[1]

Championship standings after the event[]

1973 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers points standings after round 3

After round 3		Team	Season end
Position	Points		Position	Points
1	52	Alpine Renault	1	147
2	22	Fiat	2	84
3	20	Saab	5	42
4	13	Lancia	13	17
5	12	Citroën	7	33
6	12	Ford	3	76
7	8	Porsche	9	27
8	6	Volkswagen	15	15
9	5	Opel	11	25
10	4	BMW	8	28
11	3	Škoda	18	3
12	2	Datsun	6	34
13	2	Volvo	4	44

References[]

External links[]

• Official website of the World Rally Championship
• 1973 Rallye de Portugal, WRC Round 3 at Rallye-info