1971 French Grand Prix

Championship standings

Stewart leads the championship. Ickx won at Zandvoort to remain his closest rival; Rodríguez has been scoring consistently for BRM.

Previous race

Netherlands: Heavy rain at Zandvoort produced a commanding win for Ickx ahead of Rodríguez — the first race in 42 consecutive rounds without a Ford-Cosworth-powered car on the podium. Andretti’s Ferrari missed the start with a fuel pump problem and retired within a few laps.

Track changes

This is the first French Grand Prix held at Circuit Paul Ricard. The previous two runnings were at the twisty Charade public-road circuit near Clermont-Ferrand. Paul Ricard, near Marseille, is one of the most modern circuits in the world, featuring a smooth surface, state-of-the-art facilities, and a 1.1-mile straight along the Mistral section.

Car upgrades

Tyrrell bring new front bodywork for Stewart’s car, developed after extensive tyre testing in the weeks prior to the race.

Entrants

French drivers Max Jean and François Mazet make their Formula One debuts on home ground. Emerson Fittipaldi is racing while in pain, heavily bandaged after a road accident.