James Hunt

Biography

Beginnings

James Hunt discovers the automobile sport the day of his 18 years: invited by friends to attend a race with Silverstone, it decides at once to make of this sport its trade and gives up the medical college to which it had been just registered. Its family not having the means of financing this late vocation, Hunt multiplies the odd jobs until the day when it can buy its first car (a Mini-Morris) and be registered with its first competitions, in 1967. Showing an unquestionable talent, Hunt climbs the levels quickly: it begins in Formule Ford in 1968, then in Formule 3 in 1969, where it is crowned better British hope of the year. Then, as from 1971, it becomes pilot official March in F3. Its aggressive style, which often leads it beyond the limits, is worth quickly to him the nickname of Hunt the Shunt (Hunt the accident) and ends up wearying March, which separates from him during the season 1972.

Immediately, Hunt finds refuge within the team of Lord Hesketh, an eccentric noble young person who engages of the cars in the championship of Europe of Formule 2. In 1973, Hesketh decides to attack Formula 1, initially with March private, then as a manufacturer with whole share, with of course James Hunt like single pilot. The newcomers quickly create sensation in the world of Formula 1: James Hunt clashes with his débraillées behaviors, while in margin of the GP, Lord Hesketh multiplies the more sumptuous festivals the ones than the others. On the track, on the other hand, they are far from being ridiculous. As of its fourth GP, in Zandvoort, Hunt goes up on the 3rd place of the podium, before finishing 2nd in the United States at the end of the season. It buckles the championship in 8th position while having disputed only half of the tests. In 1974, Hunt and its Hesketh white (Lord Hesketh could allow the luxury to do sponsors) know a difficult beginning of the season, but find the way of the podiums at the time of second half of season, to finish 8th championship again and to have gained BRDC International Trophy, out-championship. Success in championship of the world arrives finally in 1975, with the first victory of Hunt and of the Hesketh stable, at the time of the GP of the Netherlands. But in spite of an end of the year of very high level (which makes it possible Hunt to go back to the 4th final place of the championship), Lord Hesketh is constrained to close his stable, his three seasons of F1 having strongly started family finances.

Dedication in 1976

In bad posture on the market of the transfers because of the late closing of the Hesketh team, Hunt finally manages to in extremis recover a wheel at the powerful team McLaren, whose first pilot Emerson Fittipaldi suddenly left. After a hard beginning of the season, Hunt, which off gains the Race Champions and BRDC International Trophy 2 races out-championship, is affirmed quickly like a regular applicant with the victory and a credible adversary of Niki Lauda in the fight for the world title. There is essential in Spain (initially disqualified for aileron not-in conformity, he will recover its victory over green carpet later several weeks) then in France, but remotely remains sizeable of Lauda to the championship. The serious accident of Lauda to the Nurburgring gives all causes some, and makes it possible Hunt to quickly remake its delay. It carries it in Germany and in the Netherlands, then in spite of the return of Lauda it true is very weakened physically, also gains in Canada and the United States. It thus approaches the ultimate handle of the championship in Japan with 3 points of delay on its adversary. Under the flood which drowns the Japanese circuit of Fuji, Lauda voluntarily gives up as of the end of the first turn, leaving the free field to Hunt, which dominates the debates easily. But a puncture of the English in end of the road calls all into question, obliging it with an insane increase. When it stops by its booth after the arrival, Hunt, furious, thinks of having lost the title and violently apostrophizes its sport director Teddy Mayer, which with all the sorrows of the world to be explained to him that it managed to go up until the third place, and thus to mark the points necessary to take down the world title.

With James Hunt, Formula 1 crowns one of its atypical pilots. Shifted character, Hunt enjoys to saunter in the beds barefeet, the long hair, with worn jeans and tee-shirt. Large fêtard in front of the eternal, including race, the beer drinker days before become inveterate, it is also famous for its many female conquests ( Sex is breakfast off champions as it is written on a badge that it often carries).

Decline

The following year, Hunt makes honor with its championship of the world by gaining three new victories, but does not manage to involve itself in the fight for the world title, the fault in McLaren which lost its superb one. Then, in 1978, while McLaren is definitively exceeded by F1 known as wing-bus , Hunt, démotivé, delivers one completely anonymous season. Its spleen is still amplified by the pile-up to the beginning of the GP of Italy, in which it is implied and which will cost the life his/her friend Ronnie Peterson. Besides it will show on this occasion an aspect little glittering of its personality while being obstinated to make wear the hat to the young Italian pilot Riccardo Patrese.

It tries to be started again by signing in 1979 in the Canadian stable Wolf Racing, but, disillusioned by the lack of competitiveness of its machine, announces its retirement at the conclusion of the GP of Monaco, the seventh test of the season. A few days later, the team Ligier will try to make it reconsider her decision in order to replace Patrick Depailler, wounded, but Walter Wolf will put his veto at this transfer.

Reconversion

Little time after its retirement, James Hunt is recruited by BBC to comment on the Grand Prix. Its analyzes of a rare relevance, its humor often squeaking, and its duet with the picturesque journalist Murray Walker will make the delight of the English spectators during long year, until its early death, on June 15th, 1993, at 45 years, of the continuations of an heart attack.

Career Formulates 1 of them

92 disputed GP
World champion in 1976
10 victories
14 pole positions
8 better turns in race

See too

Pilot of Formula 1: classification per year
Pilot of Formula 1: classification by better Pilot turns
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot podiums
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot poles position
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot victories
of Formula 1: classification by hat tricks

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