http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1320323/Formula-1-champion-James-Hunt-slept-33-BA-air-stewardesses-race.html Speechless... . . . and maybe a little jealous.
I just read this article off from another website. It's incredible this guy lived as long as he did! The ultimate bad boy
They sure don't make drivers like they used to And just to think they were crucifying Kimi for merely eating ice cream!!! Of course, Steve Matchett would play it off by saying this was a legal and cunning means of Hunt getting rid of "excess ballast" and would tell us how many thousandths a second per lap Hunt would be saving... Frank
So true! How many drivers get blamed for a "lack of focus?" This really does sound like the tales of men down at the pub, obviously there is no way they could be true, but this guy actually did them!
But, as Stirling Moss, who used to carouse with Hunt in Monte Carlo before he was married, said: If you looked like James Hunt, what would you have done? Enuff said...
Reminds me of motocross racer Ron Lechine. He would go out and party all night long get back to the hotel 2 hours prior to going to the race. At the race he would just fly and kick butt. After the race it was time for him to party again.
Having read all that, I am still of the opinion that although Hunt was quick, he wasn't a complete driver. After starting with Hesketh, he did well at McLaren because the M23 had been developed already by Fittipaldi before he left. He was competitive from the word go. His world title was won the year Lauda had his accident and missed several GPs. Unable to come to develop the M26, his results suffered and Hunt parted with McLaren to join Wolf, where he couldn't come to term with the new generation of ground effect car, and honestly admitted being scared of driving at the time. So maybe he needed a drink by then ... Undeniably he was a character, and the public loved him, but it's a typical case of wasted talent. He probably had still several years ahead of him, but his reckless lifestyle caught up with him: he died relatively young...
The nice thing about being a celebrity is that when you bore people, they think it's their fault.... Does that answer it..
Read it the other day. His weekend before the final race in Japan is pretty much the reason he is my hero.
My first race I attended in person was the usgp in October 1976 (I was 8); my Dad took a photo of Hunt winning the race with both hands in the air crossing the line. Also a fan with a British flag in front of us (it's posted here somewhere, I think under old Watkins Glen photos) that was an iconic image to me; after the race I'll never forget two beautiful women carrying champagne through the garage area (something you never forget). I bet they made it to Hunt somehow great stuff; thx for sharing the link Kevin
His biography is an excellent read, he finally married his long time girlfriend (mentioned in that article) and one month or so later died of a heart attack.. I think the heart trouble was a known quantity in his family.....not the best condition for a coke binge, but....there ya go! R.I.P. James...... Didn't know about the Richard Burton connection.......
I agree.....I can't recall the exact title of the book, it's in the bedside library at home.... I guess THAT location is appropriate!!! I put Bebe Buell's right next to James, the least I could do......
