WRC Season Archive
Relive every moment of the FIA World Rally Championship’s rich history. Explore detailed season archives featuring results and key stories from each year - charting the evolution of rallying’s ultimate test from its beginnings to today’s heroes.
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WRC Season 1973 - The Championship Begins
Jean Claude Andruet, Alpine A110, 1973
© McKlein
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Season Info
The inaugural FIA World Rally Championship season marked a turning point in motorsport history, replacing the International Championship for Manufacturers. Alpine-Renault etched its name into the record books as the first official WRC title-winner, scoring 147 points with its iconic A110 Berlinette to finish 63 clear of Fiat. The 13-round calendar laid the foundations for today’s championship, with legendary events like Rallye Monte-Carlo, Sweden, Tour de Corse and the RAC Rally all making their WRC debuts.
At this stage, only manufacturers competed for the title, with a drivers’ championship still six years away. Jean-Claude Andruet took victory on the season-opening Monte, kickstarting Alpine-Renault’s dominant campaign. Although the French marque never repeated this success, it remains a historic milestone—becoming the first and only French manufacturer to win the WRC until Peugeot’s triumph in 1985.
Alpine Renault A110, Jean-Luc Thérier, 1973
© McKlein
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Calendar
Shekar Mehta, Datsun, Safari Rally 1973
© McKlein
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Championship Standings
Manufacturers'
Alpine Renault A110, 1973
© WRC / Automobilist
