French Grand Prix 1971 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Jackie Stewart returned to winning ways with a dominant performance at the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, leading home teammate François Cevert for Tyrrell's first 1-2 finish. The Scottish maestro controlled the race from the front on the newly-opened circuit in southern France, demonstrating the Tyrrell team's superiority. Young Frenchman Cevert claimed his first podium finish in front of his home crowd, while Emerson Fittipaldi took third for Lotus in a strong result.

The race at the brand-new Paul Ricard circuit, with its distinctive blue and red runoff areas and long Mistral straight, provided an ideal showcase for the Tyrrell-Ford package's speed and reliability. Stewart's victory was never in doubt as he pulled away from the field in the opening laps, while Cevert drove a measured race to secure second place. The 27-year-old Frenchman's performance delighted the partisan crowd and confirmed his potential as a future championship contender, fulfilling the promise he had shown in his sophomore season.

Fittipaldi's third place maintained Lotus's presence at the sharp end despite the team still developing the aging 72 chassis, while reigning champion Jochen Rindt's absence continued to be felt throughout the paddock. The Tyrrell 1-2 finish demonstrated Ken Tyrrell's team-building acumen and established Stewart and Cevert as Formula 1's premier driver pairing. The result extended Stewart's championship lead and suggested the title race might already be decided, though several races remained. The French Grand Prix marked Tyrrell's emergence as a complete team capable of dominating both individually and collectively.