Shunt

by Tom Rubython

  Wolf-Ford ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Wolf-Williams ref 1

  Wollek, Bob ref 1

  Wood, Frances ref 1

  Wood, John ref 1

  Wood, Malcolm ref 1

  Woods, Tiger ref 1

  ‘World of Sport’ ref 1

  Wright, Peter ref 1, ref 2

  Writers, British Guild of Motoring ref 1

  Wyer, John ref 1

  Y

  Yorkshire, UK ref 1

  Young, Eoin ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Z

  Zanardi, Alex ref 1

  Zandvoort circuit ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12, ref 13, ref 14

  Zolder circuit ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Zorzi, Renzo ref 1

  Zunino, Ricardo ref 1

  List of Plates

  1. Hunt aged three with his favourite toy a junior lawnmower. He was described as a rebellious and unhappy child, but also one bristling with intelligence and inquisitiveness.

  2. Aged four with his parents Wallis and Sue Hunt, brother Peter aged two and sister Sally aged six at a family wedding.

  3. At ten years old holding baby Tim with Sally (twelve) and Pete (eight). As Hunt matured, he adopted a parental approach to his three younger siblings.

  4. Vacation time from Wellington College couldn’t come any sooner for Hunt, who actively avoided academia as much as he possibly could.

  5. James Hunt tailgates a competitor in the first racing car he built himself a Mini Cooper at a saloon car race on 8th October 1967 at Brands Hatch.

  6. Formula Ford Action: Syd Fox leads James Hunt in his Gowrings sponsored Formula Ford Merlyn on 26th December 1969 at Brands Hatch.

  7. Hunt was absolutely on it in only his second ever motor race at Brands Hatch on 8th October 1967. He only competed in three saloon car races before moving to Formula Ford.

  8. Close action at a Formula Ford race for James Hunt at Brands Hatch on 29th November 1969.

  9. High profile action: Leading the Formula 3 support race in his March 713M before the 1971 Spanish Grand Prix on 18th April at Montjuich Park.

  10. James Hunt racing the Lotus 59 in an Formula 3 support race at the British Grand Prix held at Brands Hatch on 17th July, 1970, where he finished third.

  11. Second place James Hunt with race winner Freddy Kottulinsky and third place Barrie Maskell after the Preis von Steiermark F3 race at the Osterreichring on 17th May 1970.

  12. Dicing with Alan Jones (number 69) at Brands Hatch in a Formula 3 race in 1971.

  13. A young James Hunt aged 23 at the Spanish Grand Prix at Montjuich Park on 17th April 1971, where he was competing in a supporting F3 race.

  14. Dave Morgan, the F3 driver whom James Hunt knocked out with one punch.

  15. Racing for the STP March Racing Team in the first round of the 1972 British Formula 3 Championship at Brands Hatch on the 5th March. Hunt finished fourth in the race.

  16. James Hunt leads Colin Vanderwell and Ian Ashley in the first round of the 1972 British Formula 3 Championship at Brands Hatch on 5th March.

  17. James Hunt with Formula 3 team mate Brendan McInerney at the launch of the STP March F3 team in 1972.

  18. Receiving a bouquet of flowers from journalist April Tod after winning Round 10 of the Formula 3 Grand Prix at Circuit de Rouen-les-Essarts, France on 28th June 1970.

  19. James Hunt in a March 712M on the 16th September 1972 at Oulton Park coming in third place and during the race drove the fastest lap.

  20. At the Rothmans 50,000 race for all types of single seaters on the 28th August 1972 at Brands Hatch. James Hunt took his march 712M to fifth place. And won nearly won $5,000 in prize money.

  21. James Hunt finishes third behind Denny Hulme in an undeniably impressive first race driving a Formula One car. Hulme also debuted the McLaren M23 that day, a car that one day Hunt would be driving.

  22. His first ever Formula One race was the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch on Sunday 17th March, 1973 driving a Surtees-Ford TS9B.

  23. Driving his March-Ford 731 to a sixth place finish in only his and Hesketh Racing’s second Grand Prix race on Sunday 1st July 1973. It was his first points finish in Formula One

  24. Relaxing with a drink and cigarette in the pit lane at Paul Ricard.

  25. Lord Hesketh at the Hesketh team’s debut Grand Prix race. He described his driver debuting in a Grand Prix as “like a new born babe.”

  26. Lord Hesketh’s Bell Jet Ranger helicopter which was used to ferry guests back and forward from Nice airport to Monte Carlo on the weekend of 1st/3rd June 1973. Hesketh’s expenditure on entertainment positively dwarfed his spending on the team.

  27. Hunt steers his March-Ford around Monaco before retiring on lap 74.

  28. Afterwards he sat in his car and contemplated the trials and tribulations of his first Grand Prix after a tough two hours racing, Hunt admitted he had been a frightened man and realised he was not as fit as he thought. Standing hand on hip next to the car is designer Harvey Poslethwaite.

  29. James Hunt goes past the control tower at Silverstone. He finished in fourth place, and earned the Hesketh team another three more world championship points

  30. A somewhat overawed James Hunt ponders the past and the future as he reflects on his meteoric rise to Grand Prix stardom at Silverstone. He was the centre of media attention all weekend - something he was not used to at all.

  31. Preparations to the March-Ford 731 are made by Hesketh team mechanics as they inpsect the internals of the Hewland gearbox prior to the start of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

  32. Driving to his first podium finish in only his fourth ever Grand Prix. He finished third at Zandvoort on Sunday 29th July 1973 earning Hesketh Racing another four points.

  33. The Hesketh team’s liveried vehicles at Zandvoort.

  34. Lord Hesketh watches his team’s first podium success from the Zandvoort pit wall.

  35. The accident that killed popular young British driver Roger Williamson. He was killed driving a March-Ford 731 just like James Hunt’s car.

  36. James Hunt along with other drivers and team crew take part in a running race around the circuit at Monza, organised by Frank Williams at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday 9th September 1973. He won the race and earned himself a prize of a US$1,500 cheque for doing so.

  37. An extraordinary second place at the United States Grand Prix in 1973 caps off an amazing debut season for Hesketh racing at Watkins Glen on Sunday 7th October 1973.

  38. Race winner Ronnie Peterson was constantly harried by Hunt (in the background) who chased him throughout the race and finished just one second behind Peterson at the chequered flag.

  39. A Hesketh team pit board makes it clear that Bubbles Horsley will accept no dissent from his driver on this occasion.

  40. A scene that would become familiar as Hunt enjoys a post-race cigarette.

  41. The weekend brought mixed emotions and French driver Francois Cevert died in an accident during qualifying, prompting Jackie Stewart to retire on the spot.

  42. The scene of Francois Cevert’s accident, which split the steel Armco barrier. The popular Frenchman died instantly.

  43. James Hunt with Lord Hesketh at Watkins Glen celebrating the end of their first season. The Hesketh team contested six out of 15 races of the season, scoring two podium finishes and finishing eighth in the world championship with 14 points. Their debut year was nothing short of sensational.

  44. James Hunt relaxes with a beer on the pit counter at the 1973 Austrian Grand Prix at Osterreichring. He could scarcely believe the success he was having with a customer March-Ford 731 car.

  45. The cover of the book printed by Bubbles Horsley for the launch of the team’s first Hesketh chassis, the Hesketh-Ford 308.

  46. The Hesketh team work on the new Hesketh 308 chassis at Easton Neston headquarters in late April. The car was not race ready for the first two Grand Prix of the championship, so the Ma
rch-Ford 731 was used.

  47. Dr. Harvey Postlethwaite, designer of the Hesketh 308 at work at Easton Neston in Northamptonshire.

  48. James Hunt signs autographs in the paddock next to a bikini clad fan after the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday 27th January. It was a disappointing race as the March-Ford 731 handled badly on the sticky Interlagos tarmac

  49. Playing tennis at the Kyalami Ranch Hotel with Abe Siegel on the weekend of the South African Grand Prix at the end of March in 1974.

  50. With Mike Hailwood at the Kyalami Ranch Hotel. The two drivers found they were kindred spirits and enjoyed hell raising toghether whenever they could.

  51. After a stunning qualifying session, James Hunt drives the Hesketh-Ford 308 to victory on race day at the Silverstone International Daily Express Trophy on 7th April, 1974.

  52. Receiving his trophy on the podium. He had driven the entire race with the sharp stub of the gear-stick embedded in his hand.

  53. Sitting stranded in his Hesketh-Ford 308 after a broken rose joint forces him to retire on lap 46 at the Belgian Grand Prix, Nivelles circuit on Sunday 12th May.

  54. James Hunt shows he hasn’t lost his touch and duels with Niki Lauda for third place on Sunday 9th June. After 20 laps Hunt passed Lauda and finished in third place, scoring his first podium finish of the 1974 season.

  55. James Hunt takes part in a charity cricket match at Brands Hatch following the British Grand Prix on 20th July 1974 A Formula One roll-call for charity. Back row from left: John Watson, Guy Edwards, Mike Hailwood, James Hunt, Graham Hill, Patrick Depailler, Peter Gethin and David Purley. Sitting from left: Jody Scheckter, Derek Bell, Niki Lauda, Jackie Stewart, Ronnie Peterson, Jochen Mass and Denny Hulme.

  56. James Hunt stands with his fiancee Suzy Miller in his specially modified pair of racing boots at Monza on the 9th September, 1974. Despite high hopes after his podium in Austria, Hunt only made it to lap two before his engine blew up.

  57. James Hunt and Mike Hailwood raced together for two years in 1973 and 1974 before Hailwood retired from Formula One. They both had the same outlook on life and got together socially as often as they could.

  58. In the paddock before the Canadian Grand Prix on the 22nd September, 1974. Drivers and team principals, including James Hunt (extreme left) gather for a briefing before the race.

  59. Stirling Moss with James Hunt at Watkins Glen on the day of the final race of the 1974 world championship. It was an interesting situation as three drivers, Clay Regazzoni, Emerson Fittipaldi and Jody Scheckter all had a chance of being crowned world champion that day.

  60. Lord Hesketh, otherwise known as Le Patron, watches as the Hesketh mechanics prepare the Hesketh 308 at Watkins Glen. Hunt went on to finish third in the race.

  61. Chaos on the podium at Watkins Glen in 1974 as the championship is decided in Emerson Fittipaldi’s favour: race winner Carlos Reutemann celebrates as second placed Carlos Pace is interview by ABC commentator, Jackie Stewart; James Hunt was third and is congratulated by Marie-Helena Fittipaldi, the new champion’s wife.

  62. Lord Hesketh broke new ground by becoming the first Formula One team to sell merchandise. Tens of thousands of Super Bear t-shirts were sold in 1975, contributing at least US$30,000 to the year’s budget.

  63. James Hunt passes a marshal’s post at the Argentine Grand Prix on Sunday 12th January. It was a brilliant start to the season as he claimed second place from Niki Lauda and finished behind reigning champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

  64. Relaxing at the Kyalami Ranch hotel enjoying a game of backgammon with Graham Hill by the swimming pool. The hotel, situated right by the track, was a favourite haunt of drivers.

  65. James Hunt sits in the pits as mechanics work on his car at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday 25th May 1975. He retired from the race on lap 15 with a shattered gearbox.

  66. Hesketh Racing supporters run onto the track as Hunt wins.

  67. James Hunt leads Niki Lauda at Zandvoort on Sunday 22nd June, 1975. The team foresaw the changing weather conditions.

  68. The Hesketh team mascot, Super Bear at Zandvoort.

  69. Pure joy as he celebrates his first Grand Prix victory of his career at the Dutch Grand Prix, with second place Niki Lauda and third place Clay Regazonni.

  70. Sitting in the cockpit of the Hesketh-Ford 308 at the Paul Ricard circuit on Sunday 6th July. In order for the team to compete in the French Grand Prix, Bubbles Horsley had sold Lord Hesketh’s Rolls Royce to raise funds.

  71. Lord Hesketh and James Hunt unveil the new Hesketh 308C during the British Grand Prix weekend in July 1975 at Easton Neston.

  72. Fans of James Hunt show their support at his home Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday 19th July, 1975. He dominated the race from pole position but retired on lap 25 when his engine blew up after he had set the fastest lap of the race.

  73. With Team Manager Bubbles Horsley at the British Grand Prix. Despite the retirement, spirits were high in the Hesketh team after his dominant performance

  74. James Hunt’s Hesketh 308 flies over a hump at Nurburgring. He retired on lap 10 after a wheel came off the car.

  75. American driver Mark Donohue was involved in an accident in qualifying which killed both himself and a marshall, after his car plunged into catch fencing.

  76. Second place James Hunt; race winner Vittorio Brambilla and third place Tom Pryce on the podium after a rain-shortened race at Osterreichring on Sunday 17th August.

  77. James Hunt talks with Tony Brise and Ronnie Peterson at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday 7th September.

  78. The race saw the unveiling of the Hesekth 308, which in hindsight was a luxury the team could have done without. James Hunt finished fifth. Niki Lauda finished third, which was enough to secure the Austrian the 1975 world championship

  79. James Hunt with three fans at the United States Grand Prix, Watkins Glen on Sunday 5th October where he finished fifth.

  80. James Hunt sits in the McLaren-Ford M23 with Teddy Mayer, team principal (left) and Alistair Caldwell, McLaren team manager (right) after being announced as their new driver for the 1976 season.

  81. His first Grand Prix drive in the new six speed gearbox McLaren-Ford at Interlagos, Brazil.

  82. Teddy Mayer speaks to new recruit James Hunt at the Interlagos circuit on Sunday, 25th January 1976. Mayer was astonished when Hunt secured his first pole position for McLaren with one flying lap. He spun out of the race on lap 33 with throttle problems.

  83. James Hunt with Niki Lauda at Kyalami on Sunday 6th March 1976. Hunt finished second behind Lauda in his second race for McLaren. Any doubts the McLaren team had about their new driver completely disappeared.

  84. At the United States West Grand Prix on Sunday 28th March 1976. After being knocked out on lap 4 due to a collision with Patrick Depailler, Hunt stood at the side of the track shaking his fist and hurling abuse at the French driver.

  85. James Hunt, Alan Jones and Harald Ertl take an interest in an adult cinema at the Long Beach circuit, USA.

  86. James Hunt on the podium with Bette Hill, the widow of racing driver Graham Hill, after winning the Graham Hill Trophy on Sunday 11th April 1976.

  87. Crossing the chequered flag on his first victory for McLaren. But post-race scrutineering deemed the car too wide by the new race regulations and was therefore illegal, disqualifying Hunt from the race.

  88. James Hunt with his great friend Jody Scheckter at the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama on Sunday 2nd May 1976.

  89. On the podium at Jarama with the King of Spain and Gunnar Nilsson before finding out the news of his disqualification from journalists. Hunt’s victory was subsequently reinstated later in the season after an appeal.

  90. James Hunt sits in the new McLaren M26 as it is unveiled to the press. Beside him is team mate Jochen Mass (back left); McLaren team designer Gordon Coppuck (front left); McLaren Team Owner Teddy Mayer (back left) and Patty McLaren, widow of the team founder Bruce McLaren. The car would not race.

  91. McLaren techn
ical director Gordon Coppuck discusses set-up with Jochen Mass, James Hunt and Teddy Mayer at Monaco. The M23 was now uncompetitive after the team had concentrated so hard on ensuring the car was legal after their disqualification in Spain.

  92. James Hunt takes a spin at Tabac corner in the Monaco Grand Prix. He retired on lap 25 with a blown engine.

  93. Crossing the line he waves to the crowd after taking the chequered flag at Brands Hatch after the restarted race on Sunday 18th July 1976. His victory could not have been more popular with the 80,000 fans present.

  94. A sequence of photos shot by David Phipps shows the collision between James Hunt and Clay Regazzoni which resulted in the race being stopped and restarted.

  95. Hunt chases Lauda down after the restart of the British Grand Prix. It took him 45 laps to catch his rival and overtake him.

  96. To the sheer delight of the partisan crowd on the 45th lap at Brands Hatch Hunt finally drove inside Niki Lauda and passed him on the climbing approach to Druids Hill to take the lead of the 1976 British Grand Prix. He was never headed after that.

  97. Andrew Frankl then a young journalist and photographer organised the demonstrations that led to James Hunt being reinstated in the race. As a youngster he had been involved in the Hungarian uprisings in 1956.

  98. Ferrari’s Team Manager Daniele Audetto complains to the media about the controversial restart of the race and announces that he will appeal the result even though Ferrari had caused the startline accident.

  99. Enjoying his British victory swigging from a bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne with another full bottle in reserve which wouldn’t last long.

  100. Celebrating his victory on the podium with Patrick Depailler (left) and John Watson (right) at the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, 4th July 1976.