by Tom Rubython
210. One year into his commentating career for the BBC he finds it exhausting as he sleeps in the McLaren motorhome after the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday 21st June 1981.
211. BBC producer, Mark Wilkin (left) produced the Grand Prix programme for the last five years of Hunt’s life photographed here with VT operator Simon Barton. Wilkin and Hunt were both old boys of Wellington College.
212. Holding his youngest son, Freddie in front of the paddock area.
213. With his sons Tom (left) and Freddie (right) at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday 16th July 1989.
214. Freddie Hunt, the youngest son of James Hunt at the British Formula Ford Championship at Snetterton on 2nd June 2007. Freddie was the image of his father both physically and mentally. He raced in Formula Ford and Formula 3 categories for three years.
215. James Hunt and his fellow World Champions gather for a photograph at the Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide on 4th November 1990. From left to right back row: James Hunt, Sir Jackie Stewart, Denny Hulme. Front row: Nelson Piquet, Juan Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna and Sir Jack Brabham. Alain Prost declined the invitation to be photographed for reasons bets known to himself..
216. With Marlboro McLaren team principal Ron Dennis at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on 25th August 1991. The two men were on the same wavelength and great friends.
217. With Ayrton Senna outside San Lorenzo in Knighstbridge, London on 1st April 1991. Afterwards Hunt gave Senna a lift in his A30 van, but not before Senna tried to break the lap record round Cadogan Square in the vehicle.
218. Mika Hakkinen, driving for Peter Collins’s Lotus team, in his second year of his Formula One career gets advice prior to the start of the Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide on 8th November 1992. Hunt was hired by John Hogan to mentor his young drivers.
219. With Alessandro Zanardi, Hakkinen’s team mate at the European Grand Prix at Donington Park on 11th April 1993. Hunt was helping out his old friend Peter Collins at this race.
220. John Hogan sensed something special in Hunt from the first day they met, and secured him his very first sponsorship deal. Patrick McNally was James Hunt’s Marlboro appointed minder from 1977 to the end of his career.
221. Nigel Mansell, unveiling his own waxwork at Madame Tussauds is visibly moved during a minute’s silence for James Hunt on the morning after his death on Wednesday 16th July 1993.
222. Suzy Miller, by then divorced from Richard Burton and Graham Hill’s widow, Bette Hill outside St James’s Church in Piccadilly , London following James Hunt’s memorial service on Friday 29th September 1989.
223. Sarah Lomax and her two sons Tom and Freddie Hunt and her mother Rosemary Lomax at her ex husband’s memorial service.
224. Jane Birbeck and Daley Thompson leave the memorial the memorial service at St James’s church. The former girlfriend of Hunt was dating the athlete at the time.
225. Helen Dyson, James Hunt’s last girlfriend, leaves his memorial service at St James’s church on Friday 29th September 1989.
226. At a special Mother’s Day lunch at the Tower Hotel, London, held by the Greeting Card and Calendar Association on 17th March 1976 Mrs Sue Hunt joined other mothers of famous people From left: Mrs JA Wilkie, the mother of Olympic swimmer, David Wilkie, Mrs H Zavaroni, mother of singer Lena Zavaroni, Mrs B Stracey mother of boxer John H. Stracey, Mrs Janicwiez, mother of boxer, Richard Dunn. Mrs O’Sullivan, mother of actor Richard O’Sullivian, Sue Hunt, mother of James and Mrs K Rantzen, mother of presenter Esther Rantzen.
227. Tim Hunt, the youngest of the Hunt brothers now lives in New York, where he is director of the Warhol Foundation. He is pictured with wife Tama Janowitz, an American novelist.
228. David Hunt, photographed in 1988, was the youngest of the Hunt brothers. He raced cars in his youth.
229. Christopher Hilton, the well known author penned two books about James Hunt after he died.
230. Four journalists who were very important to James Hunt during his career, Ian Philips, Eoin Young, Gerald Donaldson and David Phipps.
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.
Formula 2 proves to be the springboard to Formula One
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.
Formula One deubt: The Race of Champions - Brands Hatch 1973
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.
The French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, 1973.
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.
The Monaco Grand Prix 1973.
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.
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1973
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.
First podium at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in 1973
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.
James Hunt shows his athletic prowess at Monza in 1973.
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.
The United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1973
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.
The birth of the Hesketh 308 in January 1974
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 March-Ford 731 was used.
47. Dr. Harvey Postlethwaite, designer of the Hesketh 308 at work at Easton Neston in Northamptonshire.
The Brazilian Grand Prix opens the 1974 season
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
The South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1974
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.
The Daily Express International Trophy at Silverstone
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.
Charity Cricket Match in 1974
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.
The United States Grand Prix on Sunday 9th October 1974 was the championship showdown
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.
The Hesketh Racing team start the 1975 season under severe financial strain
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.
The 1975 Argentine Grand Prix - Buenos Aries
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.
James Hunt’s first Formula One win at the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix
66. Hesketh Racing supporters run onto the track as Hunt wins.