Cevert, early years in single-seaters

After completing his National Service, François Cevert, now 19 years old, performed a training at the Le Mans racing school, before enrolling the Winfield Racing School at Magny-Cours. There, he won the Volant Shell scholarship, which first prize was an Alpine Formula 3.

His first season in F3, at the wheel of his prize Alpine (picture above at Montlhéry in 1967), did not go well. He lacked the funds and experience to properly set up and maintain his car.

After finding some sponsorship for the 1968 season, Cevert traded his Alpine for a more competitive Tecno car. With his new mount (picture below), Cevert started winning races, and by the end of the season, he was French Formula 3 champion, just ahead of a certain Jean-Pierre Jabouille. The doors of the F2 were now wide open for him.