Jim Clark had carried his form from Belgium with him into France, with the Team Lotus racer snatching pole position as a strike in Italy meant Ferrari could not take part. At the start, the Scot lost the lead to rival Graham Hill, with the two remaining in the lead for much of the race, until Hill was hit by a back marker. Clark then led for three laps before succumbing to suspension damage, handing the lead back to Hill until he dropped out with a misfire with a handful of laps to go. Other big names among the leaders, such as Bruce McLaren and Jack Brabham had also dropped down the order due to mechanical issues early on.