The car veered to the left and struck the Armco barrier at a high angle.
: Some sources attribute the immediate cause of death to massive head and impact injuries sustained as the car flipped and became enmeshed in the barriers. francois cevert autopsy report
, a historian who wrote a 2008 biography of Cevert ( François Cevert: The Beautiful Animal ), gained access to the French judicial file via the Cevert family’s lawyer. He described the report in an interview as “a clinical, cold document” noting “transection of the aortic arch, laceration of the liver, and bilateral hemothorax.” The cause of death was listed as “exsanguination due to blunt force trauma to the torso” — i.e., he bled to death internally in seconds. The car veered to the left and struck
Jackie Stewart, arriving on the scene shortly after, described the scene as looking like a plane crash. Jody Scheckter was one of the first on the scene, jumping from his car to assist, but quickly realized the severity of the situation. François Cevert Autopsy Report Findings He described the report in an interview as
and track safety standards at Watkins Glen and across Formula 1.
While official state autopsy reports from 1973 remain confidential medical records held by local New York authorities, the public records, trackside medical logs, and statements from investigating doctors detailed the precise cause of death.
Jackie Stewart, who was closely mentoring Cevert, was devastated. Stewart, who had planned to retire after this race (his 100th GP), withdrew from the race as a mark of respect for his teammate and friend 1.2.4.