1973 Acropolis Rally

The 1973 Acropolis Rally (formally the 21st Acropolis Rally) was the sixth round of the inaugural World Rally Championship season. Run in late-May on the punishing hot gravel roads of central Greece, the Acropolis is a long-standing event on the WRC calendar.

1973 Acropolis Rally 21st Acropolis Rally
Round 6 of the 1973 World Rally Championship season ← Previous event Next event →
Host country	Greece
Rally base	Athens, Greece
Dates run	23 May 1973 – 28 May 1973
Length	549 km (341 miles)
Stage surface	Gravel (some asphalt)
Overall distance	3,358 km (2,087 miles)
Statistics
Crews	83 at start, 11 at finish
Overall results
Overall winner	Jean-Luc Thérier Christian Delferrier Alpine Renault Alpine Renault A110 1800

Report

In 1973, and for several years afterward, only manufacturers were given points for finishes in WRC events. In Greece, the Alpine Renault team had another strong showing, with their fourth win of the year. Driver Jean-Luc Thérier became the first driver to win two WRC rallies with his victory here.

Results

1973 Acropolis Rally results

Finish		Total time	Group	Car #	Driver Co-driver	Car	Mfr. points
Overall	In group
1	1	7 h : 37 m : 58 s	4	1	Jean-Luc Thérier Christian Delferrier	Alpine-Renault A110 1800	20
2	2	7 h : 44 m : 59 s	4	12	Rauno Aaltonen Robin Turvey	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye	15
3	3	7 h : 45 m : 56 s	4	5	Jean-Pierre Nicolas Michel Vial	Alpine-Renault A110 1800
4	4	7 h : 57 m : 21 s	4	3	Håkan Lindberg Arne Hertz	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
5	1	8 h : 34 m : 57 s	2	19	Georg Fischer Hans Siebert	Volkswagen 1303S	8
6	1	8 h : 40 m : 14 s	1	21	Richard Bochnicek Sepp-Dieter Kernmayer	Citroën DS 23	6
7	2	8 h : 43 m : 26 s	2	9	Chris Sclater Bob de Jong	Ford Escort RS1600	4
8	2	9 h : 40 m : 1 s	1	26	Helmut Doppelreiter Ossi Schurek	Volkswagen 1303S
9	3	9 h : 43 m : 47 s	2	42	Ioánnis Psihas Andreas Papatriantifillou	Toyota Corolla	2
10	3	10 h : 16 m : 59 s	1	56	Ioánnis Bardopoulos Theodoros Karelas	Audi 80 GL	1
11	4	11 h : 15 m : 11 s	2		Ted Hansson Mats Andersson	Opel Ascona 19
Retired (accident)			2	2	Achim Warmbold Jean Todt	BMW 2002
Retired (mechanical)			2	4	Ove Andersson Gunnar Häggborn	Toyota Celica
Retired (mechanical)			2	6	Björn Waldegård Fergus Sager	BMW 2002
Retired (mechanical)			2	7	Harry Källström Claes Billstam	Volkswagen 1303S
Retired (mechanical)			2	8	Alcide Paganelli Ninni Russo	Fiat Abarth 124 Rallye
Retired (illness)			4	10	Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé	Alpine Renault A110 1800
Retired (accident)			2	11	Günther Janger Harald Gottlieb	Volkswagen 1303S
Retired (mechanical)			2	15	Tony Fall Mike Wood	Volkswagen 1303S
Retired (mechanical)			2	16	Will Sparrow Henry Liddon	Ford Escort RS1600
Retired (mechanical)			4	17	Siroco (driver) Miltos Andriopoulos	Alpine Renault A110 1800

Source: Independent WRC archive^[1]

Championship standings after the event

1973 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers points standings after round 6

After round 6		Team	Season end
Position	Points		Position	Points
1	92	Alpine Renault	1	147
2	43	Fiat	2	84
3	33	Citroën	7	33
4	22	Datsun	6	34
5	20	Saab	5	42
6	16	Ford	3	76
7	14	Volkswagen	15	15
8	13	Lancia	13	17
9	13	Peugeot	16	13
10	8	Porsche	9	27
11	5	Opel	11	25
12	4	BMW	8	28
	4	Mitsubishi	17	4
	4	Volvo	4	44
15	3	Škoda	18	3
16	2	Toyota	10	25
17	1	Audi	20	2