1973 Elite Racing League season

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Non-canon.png All information on this page is not part of canon.

1973 Elite Racing League season
Previous: 1972 Next: 1974
Drivers Champion Manufacturers Champion
Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari

The 1973 Elite Racing League season was the 14th season of the FIA's Formula One motor racing support series (the series would remain a support series until 1997.) The Drivers Championship was won by future F1 legend Niki Lauda who drove for Ferrari for the third and final time, this would also be his last season in the ERL having won all 3 championships in all 3 seasons he participated in. Ferrari won the Constructors Championship after having the most wins of the season compared to Honda who finished 2nd with the same amount of points.

Niki Lauda also made history by becoming the first ever driver to win 3 seasons in a row.

Season Review

Due to a number of fatal accidents during the Formula 1 racing: The United States Grand Prix was moved from Watkins Glen in New York to Sonoma in California from 1974 making this the last ERL race at Watkins Glen.

Rnd Race Circuit Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Constructor
1 Flag of Brazil svg.png Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
2 Flag of South Africa svg.png South African Grand Prix Kyalami Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png British Grand Prix Silverstone Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Hailwood Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Hailwood Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png McLaren-Ford
4 Flag of Germany svg.png German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
5 Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
6 Flag of France svg.png French Grand Prix Magny-Cours Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Hailwood Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
7 Flag of Monaco svg.png Monaco Grand Prix Monaco Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
8 Flag of Spain svg.png Spanish Grand Prix Jarama Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Hailwood Flag of South Africa svg.png Dave Charlton Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lotus-Ford
9 Flag of Italy svg.png Italian Grand Prix Monza Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of Japan svg.png Honda
10 Flag of Canada svg.png Canadian Grand Prix Mosport Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
11 Flag of the United States svg.png United States Grand Prix Watkins Glen Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png McLaren-Ford
12 Flag of Argentina svg.png Argentine Grand Prix Buenos Aries Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon Flag of Italy svg.png Arturo Merzario Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari

Teams and Drivers

After a disappointing 1972 season, Jack Brabham's Brabham team cut ties with Ford and left the ERL after a disappointing season and without Ford backing, Brabham couldnt keep both F1 and ERL teams running so he abandoned his ERL project.

In the official ERL rules from 1970 in order for a race to officially be a championship race there needed to be at least 12 drivers on the grid, this rule was changed to 14 as part of the many 1980's regulation changes, it was then changed to a range from 20-22 from 2005 to present.

Mike Hailwood returned after previously racing with BRM until 1964 he joined Denny Hulme at McLaren as the team didnt have enough funds to sign Swedish Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson.

South African team Lucky Strike Racing (not to be confused with the Formula 1 sponsor that sponsored Honda in 2006.) debuted following Brabham's withdrawal saying that the ERL can help them develop their F1 car with part time commitments to F1 during this season as well as the full time ERL campaign.

This would be Niki Lauda's last season in the ERL as he would be promoted to Ferrari in Formula 1 for 1974.

Team Constructor Engine Tyres # Driver Rounds
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png STP BRM Racing BRM BRM P142 3.0 V12 Firestone Icon.png 1 Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Beltoise All
2 Flag of Brazil svg.png Carlos Pace All
Flag of Italy svg.png Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 001 3.0 F12 Goodyear Icon.png 3 Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda All
4 Flag of Italy svg.png Arturo Merzario All
Flag of Japan svg.png Marlboro Honda Racing Honda Honda RA273E 4.0 V12 Firestone Icon.png 5 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon All
6 Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Team Lotus Lotus-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 7 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni All
8 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Beuttler All
Flag of South Africa svg.png Lucky Strike Racing Lucky Strike-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Firestone Icon.png 9 Flag of South Africa svg.png Dave Charlton All
10 Flag of South Africa svg.png Eddie Keizan All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Team McLaren McLaren-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 11 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme All
12 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Hailwood All

Drivers Championship

Pos. Driver Points
1 Flag of Austria svg.png Niki Lauda 58
2 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Chris Amon 49
5 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni 43
4 Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti 33
3 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Denny Hulme 30
7 Flag of Italy svg.png Arturo Merzario 24
8 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Hailwood 24
9 Flag of South Africa svg.png Dave Charlton 14
10 Flag of South Africa svg.png Eddie Keizann 9
6 Flag of Brazil svg.png Carlos Pace 7
11 Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Beltoise 7
12 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Mike Beuttler 2

Constructors Championship

Pos. Constructor Points
1 Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari 82
2 Flag of Japan svg.png Honda 82
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png McLaren-Ford 54
4 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lotus-Ford 45
5 Flag of South Africa svg.png Lucky Strike-Ford 23
6 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png BRM 14