Freddie Hunt on his father James’ ‘unbelievable’ 1976 title and legacy

James Hunt was a larger-than-life character endowed with an plain charisma, however in fact his biggest triumph was profitable the 1976 Drivers’ Championship by a single level over his pricey pal and rival Niki Lauda, which occurred 50 years in the past as we speak.

For the newest instalment of F1 Icons, his son Freddie – who, like his father, discovered an immense love for motorsport – appears to be like again on that outstanding season and the legacy Hunt constructed…

Sadly, in 1976 they did not have the footage like they do now. Think about if they’d fashionable expertise in these days – it could’ve been a pleasure to observe. I’ve seen as a lot as I can, and I’ve learn an terrible lot about it.

That yr could be thought of an unbelievable season in any sport, simply the drama of it. Dad was a whole underdog there, in that nobody knew how fast he was as a result of he had by no means had a workforce mate in System 1 earlier than.

To leap within the McLaren and get pole place within the first race in Brazil… I do not assume Jochen Mass favored it very a lot as a result of he thought he should be the primary driver. And naturally, Niki certified alongside him, which actually summed up that complete yr.

All of the ups and downs of it and Dad’s relationship with Niki got here collectively to make it an unforgettable season. A lot of the drivers bought on very properly since you needed to respect each other on the monitor in these days, in any other case you’d find yourself killing your mate or getting your self killed.

Nevertheless it was fantastic and thrilling – I am unable to think about how unbelievable it could have been for the motorsport fanatics.

I’ve tried to place myself of their sneakers, like I used to be seeing it from a spectator’s perspective. As an fanatic, it could’ve been probably the most good, gripping season of all.

I feel it was additionally one of many biggest comebacks within the historical past of the game when it comes to factors – I searched it and he was 17 factors behind Niki with three races left, in order that alone made it probably the most dramatic, for certain.

Nevertheless it’s the final race in Fuji that stands proud to me, significantly as a result of it appeared like Dad did not know the place he was. He needed to change tyres when not everybody else did, and I truly assume he messed that race up!

He made a mistake by not cooling his tyres, however I do not know, perhaps the opposite guys have been all on a tougher compound. You do see them driving by the puddles to chill them down, and Dad did not try this. I reckon it was simply an excessive amount of adrenaline and focus, I suppose, however who is aware of?

Apart from that, the US and the Canadian Grands Prix stand out to me too. The stress was off at that time and he wasn’t occupied with the championship as a result of he had simply misplaced the factors from the British Grand Prix.

Subsequently, I feel he simply type of threw warning to the wind, and that was it. He loved the racing, received each the races and created a risk to win the championship.

I feel he drove very properly within the second half of the season. He did within the first half too, however within the second he bought his confidence, he bought his rhythm, and his consistency improved, little question. He actually stepped up to speed when it mattered.

There’s no different method to describe his rivalry with Niki than as a terrific, thrilling one. It is horrible when two rivals do not like one another, after they’re at one another’s throats. That is unhappy to see.

Dad and Niki have been excellent associates. Once they have been shut to at least one one other on the circuit… I am not going to start to invest what was going by their minds on the time, however I think about it was very troublesome, and completely different to what’s going by two drivers’ minds these days.

I didn’t know Niki significantly properly. I solely spoke to him a number of occasions, totally on digicam truly, however there’s a nice story about their friendship. Earlier than they reached F1, Dad bought arrested and Niki went to bail him out.

This was in Germany or Austria, so Niki spoke the language, and I feel this was after they raced in F3. He instructed the police: “No, no, you’ll be able to’t arrest him. He cannot spend the evening – he is racing towards me within the morning. You have to let him out!”

I do not know the way I’d sum up his legacy. He is fondly remembered, he’s. I’m extremely proud and I am unable to consider what different adjectives actually – it’s simply pleasure. I’m impressed by what he may do, and I’ve an incredible quantity of respect not only for him, however for all of these drivers in these days as a result of it was completely deadly.

All I can say is he was variety, he was thoughtful, and he was respectful. A number of folks have instructed me that one among his beautiful traits was that he may very well be at a dinner desk with the Queen on one facet and the binman on the opposite, and he would not discuss to them any in another way.

When he was excited he may very well be unstable, as I am certain you’ve got seen from footage of him getting out of the automobile. However, he may very well be excited in a social setting and develop into terribly mischievous.

Somebody as soon as mentioned they have been ready for a bus, the bus by no means got here, and I feel there have been three of them. That they had no alcohol, no nothing, pouring down with rain. They have been sheltering on this bus cease, ready for the bus which by no means got here, however one way or the other Dad made it enjoyable.