| abstract
| - Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.937,0.937,0.937) id:linemark value:gray(0.8) id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas PlotData = mark:(line,linemark) from:start till:38 color:yellow shift:(20,-5) text:Ronnie Peterson (Laps 1-38) from:38 till:end color:black shift:(20,-5) text:Peter Revson (Laps 39-67) The 1973 British Grand Prix, otherwise officially advertised as the XXVI John Player British Grand Prix, was the ninth round of the 1973 FIA Formula One World Championship, staged at the Silverstone Circuit on 14th July, 1973. The race was marred by a first lap accident triggered by Jody Scheckter, which effectively knocked nine cars out of the race and ended the career of Andrea de Adamich, who broke his leg after slamming into the wall. There would be a ninety minute delay as the carnage was cleared, with the race restarted afterwards. Qualifying had seen Ronnie Peterson carry his form over from France to take a fifth career pole, with the Swede sharing the front row with the two McLarens of Denny Hulme and Peter Revson. Championship leader Jackie Stewart would share the second row with arch-rival Emerson Fittipaldi, while Scheckter would line up in sixth. The first start proved to be fairly chaotic, with Niki Lauda suffering a driveshaft failure and failed to move, leaving Jackie Oliver to slam himself into the back of him and eliminate the pair of them. At the front, meanwhile, Stewart shot into the lead after a strong start, elbowing Peterson out of the way through Becketts, while Carlos Reutemann was an equally impressive third ahead of the soon to be eliminated Scheckter. At the end of the opening lap the South African lost control, spinning into the pitwall at the exit of Woodcote before bouncing back into the middle of the circuit. Unable to go anywhere, eight cars then slammed into the McLaren, with Jean-Pierre Beltoise, George Follmer, Mike Hailwood, Carlos Pace, Jochen Mass, Graham Hill, Roger Williamson and Andrea de Adamich broadsiding the stranded Scheckter. The huge accident blocked the circuit and caused the race to be stopped, with de Adamich requiring medical attention for what was later revealed to be a broken ankle. Only one car survived the accident, that being the Shadow of Hill, who joined the rest of the now nineteen car field for the restart, which reset the field to grid order. Lauda was also back in action and mad a blistering start to jump into second behind Peterson, although the Austrian was soon relegated to third by a charging Stewart. Lauda was left to battle Fittipaldi for the final podium spot, although both would be promoted when Stewart spun from second, the Scot suffering from a gearbox issue. Lauda soon followed Stewart's tumble down the order, while Hulme, Revson and a very impressive James Hunt closed onto the back of Fittipaldi, although none of them could find a way past the #1 Lotus. Then, on lap 37 Fittipaldi dropped out with a driveshaft failure, releasing Revson to chase down a cruising Peterson. Indeed, the Swede was in a rather relaxed rhythm out front, leaving Revson with an easy pass before Peterson realised what was happening. Before Peterson really got going the American was clear, leaving the Swede to simply battle for second with a fired up Hunt, who had leapt past Hulme moments after Revson claimed the lead. Unfortunately for the home fans the Hunt challenge would fade due to tyre temperatures, with the Brit slipping behind Hulme in the closing stages. Out front, meanwhile, Revson maintained a four second gap to claim a maiden victory ahead of Peterson, who just held off Hulme's late charge for second. Hunt claimed fourth, thirty seconds ahead of François Cevert, while Carlos Reutemann claimed the final point.
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