Sideways at Le Castellet

François Cevert, in a beautifully controlled drift (picture above), aboard his Tyrrell-Ford 006, during the 1973 French Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Paul-Ricard circuit.

The French ace and crowd favourite qualified fourth (albeit one second slower than pole man and team mate Jackie Stewart), drove a strong race and finished second, 41 seconds behind winner Ronnie Peterson in his Lotus 72. It was the first Grand Prix win for the fast Swede.

The Tyrrell 006-Cosworth, designed by Derek Gardner, was a slightly reworked version of the Tyrrell 005 car raced in 1972. Like its predecessor, and unlike its main competitor the Lotus 72, it had a very short wheelbase. Thus, it was a very handy car, but could also easily oversteer, as seen above. It was a fast and efficient car, but a nervous one, a car that needed the drivers’ full attention.

Jackie Stewart (picture below, here at Monza) was crowned for the third time at the wheel of 006, while very sadly, François Cevert, who often joined him on the podium during that season, was killed when he lost control of his car at high speed during practice for the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.