Daily James Hunt

Photos | Lore | Videos | James's Championship Year Recap - On This Day

It's not complicated around here. Every day I post something related to James Hunt, mostly photos, but sometimes videos, interviews, quotes, book extracts, press clippings or lore.

For British people of a particular micro-generation, James Hunt is associated as much with being a commentator with the BBC as being a driver - maybe even more so. His driving career in F1 (or as he genteel-y called it, Grand Prix racing) lasted six years, his commentary career for more than twice that.

It's a lovely second chapter in James's life. After being a championship-winning driver, he found another element of the sport he loved and managed to become an iconic figure at that, too. And most of the reason his commentary career is so well remembered is his legendary partnership with Murray Walker.

(There is scope for a few posts about James's commentary career, and I may come back to it in future to talk about money, or activism, or controversies, but today it's all about James and Murray).

I can't emphasise enough how big a figure Murray Walker is in British F1. He was the unmistakable voice of the sport for decades, commentating on every race from 1976-2001 (though he worked full-time in a regular person job until the early 80s). He was a huge character who lived a long life and was revered by fans, not in spite of his quirks and limitations but because of them. His screw ups on the mic were legendary to the point that he was nicknamed Muddly Talker (Mike Doodson, writing about their partnership in Motorsport magazine, blames James for that one, and he was a chronic nicknamer). Murray commentated alongside Martin Brundle later in his career, but it's the Murray Walker and James Hunt partnership that's considered the golden age of F1 commentary in Britain.

It's telling that no one was permanently recruited to James's vacant role after he died; Murray returned to commentating solo for years, with occasional guests, before working with Martin Brundle.

Because Murray and James had something special.

Which included wine, an almost-punch-up, refusing to share notes, some swearing, endless complaints, quite a few lies, a sneaky joint, and ultimately, mutual respect and genuine fondness.

Race 8: France, 4th July 1976

(David Phipps)

Weird James Fact: On the weekend of the French Grand Prix, James became the first driver ever to have 18 points added to his points total in a single race weekend. (The following month, he became the first driver ever to win a race on his birthday. Love a Weird James Fact)

Remember the Spanish Grand Prix, when James's car (and therefore James) was disqualified for being too wide? The day after the French Grand Prix, his points were reinstated by the FIA following McLaren's appeal.

(LAT Images)

Prior to the race, McLaren had made changes to their fuel set up and their cars were running better. James took pole ahead of Niki Lauda, but as usual, Niki got an excellent start. James had opted for an unusual tyre strategy - the tyres were changing a lot in the race so James started on a scrubbed set so they'd be consistent. He was biding his time behind Niki when Niki suffered an engine failure. Regazzoni was behind but when his engine failed too, James was fairly assured of a win provided he made it to the end. He did, scoring nine points, with Patrick Depailler in second and James and Niki's friend John Watson in third. This was Wattie's third podium and his Penske team's first. He was disqualified for his car being less than two inches too high, but this was reinstated on appeal, much like James's win in Spain.

(Top: Bernard Cahier, bottom LAT Images)

The day after, word emerged that James's disqualification had been overturned, so he was now on 26 points to Niki's 52 (Niki lost three as his win in Spain was downgraded to second).

James said later that at this point in the season, he believed the race for the championship was between Niki and Niki, or Niki and the Gods.

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So we know James was obsessed with music, but not that much about his taste. He carried a radio/ghetto blaster with him sometimes (Niki confirms this in this clip from about 2:25 minutes to 4:20, about when James partied too hard at Niki's birthday party and fell asleep in the car at Paul Ricard). He always had music on.

He did party with Fats Domino at a disco in Munich in 1978, and sang the same night with the lead singer of a band that may have been a version of the Nashville Teens (according to a McLaren staff member who was there that night).

But apart from that, there's almost nothing! James played the trumpet to a reasonable standard, and even did so at the Royal Albert Hall, one of England's most prestigious venues (although I feel he would have wanted me to say this - not based on his musical merit). There is a whole Deep Dive Sunday post at that link about the Grand Prix Night of the Stars, but we don't know much about James's taste in trumpet music either.

James was also photographed with a then-up-and-coming girl group called Glamourpuss - another Deep Dive Sunday on them is here - but there is no evidence James liked or even heard their music. He also socialised a little with George Harrison while Harrison was following the F1 circus around the world, but again, nothing to suggest he was a particular Beatles fan.