James Hunt F1 stats & info

James Hunt F1 Stats, Wins, Age, Height, Titles & Career info

Name	James Hunt
Country	United Kingdom
Height	1.86 meter / 6 feet 1 inch
Place of Birth	Belmont
Date of Birth	Aug 29th 1947
Date of Death	Jun 15th 1993 - 45 years old
Season Entries	7
Car Number	20
First Race	1973 Monaco F1 GP
Last Race	1979 Monaco F1 GP
First Pole	1976 Brazilian F1 GP
Last Pole	1977 USA F1 GP
First Win	1975 Dutch F1 GP
Last Win	1977 Japanese F1 GP
First Win from Pole	1976 Spanish F1 GP
Last Win from Pole	1977 USA F1 GP
First Hat-trick	1976 USA F1 GP
Last Hat-trick	1977 British F1 GP

F1 Teams History	March (1973-1974) Hesketh (1974-1975) McLaren (1976-1978) Wolf (1979)

James Hunt F1 Stats
Drivers' Titles	1
Grand Prix Entries	93
Grand Prix Starts	92
Total Points	179.00
Avg. Points per GP	1.92
Grand Prix Wins	10 (10,8%)
Wins from pole	7 (7,5%)
Pole Positions	14 (15,1%)
Front Row Starts	24 (25,8%)
Avg. GP Grid	6.8
GP Podiums	23 (24,7%)
GP Fastest Laps	8 (8,6%)
GP Points Finish	35 (37,6%)
Avg. GP Position	4.2
Hat-tricks	2 (2,2%)
GP Retirements	49 (52,7%)
GP DNF's	44 (47,3%)
Total GP Laps	3.924

Biography

James Hunt Biography

James Hunt was Britain's sixth F1 champion in history.

Great auction: Win F1 VIP Tickets British GP 2019

James Hunt

James Simon Wallis Hunt, four words and a life full of joy and rebelliousness. Ultimately, the life of a World Champion. Hunt was born on the 29th of August of 1947 in Belmont, England. There are not many secrets when it comes to his childhood and teenage years compared to what he represented as an adult.

He was a difficult kid whose energy was off the charts. Rebellious he was, and an athlete too. He played tennis and simply had everything going his way regarding his love life. However, at 18 years of age, James Hunt would find what would drive his competitiveness on the right way and help him canalize it: car racing.

His father Wallis, a stockbroker, and his mother Sue did not support his immersion in racing, but a young Hunt was not going to be denied. After working hard to pay for his machinery, he was known as “Hunt the Shunt” due to the recurrent crashes, including a near-fatal accident in a Formula Ford race in which he got close to drowning.

As he progressed into Formula Three, he found some success, but still had exaggerated drives in which his mindset was not fully calmed to make great decisions at the wheel. Still, his speed was noticeable. After spending four years in Formula Three, from 1969 to 1972, Lord Alexander Hesketh came calling and Hunt made his way into the Formula 1 grid.

Hunt's Formula 1 Debut

James-Hunt driving the Hesketh around the Nurburgring during the 1975 German GP

James-Hunt racing the Hesketh around the Nurburgring during the 1975 German GP

In a March 731 entered by Hesketh Racing, James Hunt made his Formula 1 debut in the 1973 Monaco Grand Prix. He started the race from 18th place and could not finish due to an engine failure. He started seven of the 15 races in the 1973 calendar and was able to finish inside the top ten in the World Drivers’ Championship.

Though many did not respect Hesketh, the team showed speed and Hunt was able to score the first podium of his career in the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix. Then, he added another podium finish with a solid drive at Watkins Glen. He finished four of his seven races in 1973 in the points.

1974 F1 season

Hesketh built their own car for the 1974 F1 season, the Hesketh 308, and Hunt was able to gain podium spots again. Reliability and his tendencies to collisions only allowed him to finish eighth in the WDC again, although he participated in the complete season. Podiums at Sweden, Austria and the USA again, proved that Hunt’s driving was solid, although it needed polishing.

Hunt started 1975 with a great second place in the 1975 Argentine Grand Prix and then scored a point in Brazil. Then, a streak of five straight retirements —three due to mechanical issues and a couple of crashes— took him out of a possible title fight. After the unfortunate streak, Hunt came firing on all cylinders and defeated the two Ferraris of Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni in the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix to win his first Grand Prix. He gave Hesketh the first and only win of the team in the pinnacle of motorsport.

McLaren M23C driven by James Hunt in Monaco 1976

McLaren M23 driven by James Hunt in Monaco 1976

Eventually, Lauda won the WDC in 1975 and Ferrari was the top manufacturer, but Hunt’s strong second half of 1975 pushed him into fourth in the WDC and established him as a threat to the Austrian champion and the Italian giants.

1976 F1 Drivers' Title

As James Hunt was no longer supported by Hesketh and Emerson Fittipaldi shockingly left McLaren at the end of 1975, the English driver saw himself with the chance to arrive in a big team. McLaren had won the World Drivers’ Championship for the first time in 1974 with the Brazilian driver and could help Hunt’s charge to become a World Champion.

Hunt grabbed the first couple of Pole Positions of his career in his first two races behind the wheel of the M23 but he retired at Brazil and finished second at South Africa. In the next four races, Hunt retired three times and took the second victory of his career at Spain, though he was initially disqualified.

Fifth in Sweden and a dominant win at France seemed to put Hunt’s season on track, but he was disqualified from his home race, the British Grand Prix, for not completing a full lap after the first start. The decision to disqualify Hunt occurred two months after the race.

James Hunt racing the McLaren M23 at the US GP (1976)

After the race at Brands Hatch, Lauda was the championship leader with 23 points over Hunt with eight races remaining. A win was worth nine points and, although Lauda’s lead was big, Hunt still had a shot. However, Hunt’s opportunity became very realistic when the unfortunate 1976 German Grand Prix arrived. His off-track friend, Lauda, had a near-fatal accident in a race Hunt himself won comfortably.

Hunt finished fourth and took a victory in the next two races, which Lauda missed due to his injuries. As the Austrian champion returned for the 1976 Italian Grand Prix, his lead was cut to just two points.

Lauda finished fourth in Italy and Hunt retired. With three races left, Lauda’s lead was just five points over Hunt. The English driver took consecutive wins from Pole Position at Canada and the USA to inch within three points of the Austrian with one race to go.

At the finale, the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji, Hunt qualified second with Lauda behind him. The Englishman needed to win, to finish second with Lauda fourth, third with Lauda sixth or fourth with Lauda seventh or worst in order to win the title.

Pouring rain flooded the Fuji Speedway on Sunday. James Hunt took the lead right out of the box, while Lauda only lasted two laps in the race before he withdrew due to the unsafe conditions —another champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, withdrew too—.

Hunt was comfortably ahead, but he was overtaken late in the race as his worn tyres produced a puncture. He pitted and came out fifth, but managed to overtake Alan Jones and Regazzoni to finish third behind Mario Andretti and Patrick Depailler and win the WDC with a one-point gap over Lauda.

1977 F1 season

Niki Lauda & James Hunt

Lauda recovered in 1977 and retook the title, while Hunt could only finish fifth in the WDC. Of course, Hunt was not as motivated as he once was since he had already accomplished his goal. Still, he was not very competitive after his title-winning season and his third win of 1977, at Japan, was the last of his career.

Also in 1977, he helped an unknown Gilles Villeneuve start his F1 race with a McLaren car after Hunt got beat by the Canadian in a Formula Atlantic a year earlier.

1978 F1 season

In 1978, he finished third in France, which was his last podium finish. For 1979, he left McLaren and joined Wolf, but he retired after seven starts with the team and only one race finished.

After his retirement, there were moments in which he tried to return to racing, but he really found his place while commentating Formula 1 races alongside legendary narrator Murray Walker. In his second career, Hunt was just as loved by racing fans who enjoyed his unique style and the occasional harsh critique of certain drivers.

He married twice: first to Suzy Miller and then to Sarah Lomax, the mother of his two sons, Tom and Freddie.

James Hunt cause of death

At the age of 45, Hunt died of a heart attack on the 15th of June of 1993 in Wimbledon. To this date, more than 25 years after his death, Hunt continues to be remembered by Formula 1 fans as probably the biggest star of the sport due to his unique style, especially outside the track, and his personality.

James Hunt rivalry with Lauda returned to the main stage in 2013 thanks to the movie Rush, with Chris Hemsworth playing Hunt’s role.

"We had a respectful, nice relationship. We trusted each other. He would not push you off the road, which in those days was important”, Lauda once said about Hunt.

Seasons

James Hunt Final Championship Results

1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
8th	8th	4th	1st	5th	13th	25th

James Hunt F1 Seasons Summary

Year	Team	Engine	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	Laps	FL	Avg Pts	Points
1979	Wolf	Ford	7	0	0	0	0	0	195	0	0.00	0
1978	McLaren	Ford	16	0	0	1	1	0	577	0	0.50	8
1977	McLaren	Ford	17	3	1	1	5	6	850	3	2.35	40
1976	McLaren	Ford	16	6	1	1	8	8	814	2	4.31	69
1975	Hesketh	Ford	14	1	3	0	4	0	585	1	2.36	33
1974	Hesketh March	Ford Ford	15	0	0	3	3	0	497	0	1.00	15
1973	March	Ford	7	0	1	1	2	0	406	2	2.00	14

Races

James Hunt F1 GP Race Classifications

1st	10 Times
2nd	6 Times
3rd	7 Times
4th	7 Times
5th	2 Times
6th	3 Times
7th	4 Times
8th	2 Times
9th	2 Times
10th	2 Times
12th	1 Time
DNF	44 Times
DSQ	2 Times
DNS	1 Time

James Hunt F1 GP Race Results

	Year	Race	N^o	Team	Engine	Grid	Pos	Retired	Pts
93	1979	1979 Monaco F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	10	DNF	Transmission	0
92	1979	1979 Belgian F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	9	DNF	Accident	0
91	1979	1979 Spanish F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	15	DNF	Brakes	0
90	1979	1979 USA West F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	8	DNF	Transmission	0
89	1979	1979 South African F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	13	8		0
88	1979	1979 Brazilian Grand F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	10	DNF	Steering	0
87	1979	1979 Argentine F1 GP	20	Wolf	Ford	18	DNF	Electrical	0
86	1978	1978 Canadian F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	19	DNF	Spun Off	0
85	1978	1978 USA F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	6	7		0
84	1978	1978 Italian F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	10	DNF	Distributor	0
83	1978	1978 Dutch F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	7	10		0
82	1978	1978 Austrian F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	8	DNF	Accident	0
81	1978	1978 German F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	8	DSQ	Disqualified	0
80	1978	1978 British F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	14	DNF	Accident	0
79	1978	1978 French F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	4	3		4
78	1978	1978 Swedish F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	14	8		0
77	1978	1978 Spanish F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	4	6		1
76	1978	1978 Belgian F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	6	DNF	Accident	0
75	1978	1978 Monaco F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	6	DNF	Handling	0
74	1978	1978 USA West F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	7	DNF	Accident	0
73	1978	1978 South African F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	3	DNF	Engine	0
72	1978	1978 Brazilian F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	2	DNF	Spun Off	0
71	1978	1978 Argentine F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	6	4		3
70	1977	1977 Japanese F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	1		9
69	1977	1977 Canadian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	DNF	Accident	0
68	1977	1977 USA F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
67	1977	1977 Italian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	DNF	Spun Off	0
66	1977	1977 Dutch F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	3	DNF	Accident	0
65	1977	1977 Austrian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	DNF	Engine	0
64	1977	1977 German F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	4	DNF	Fuel Pump	0
63	1977	1977 British F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
62	1977	1977 French F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	3		4
61	1977	1977 Swedish F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	3	12		0
60	1977	1977 Belgian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	9	7		0
59	1977	1977 Monaco F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	7	DNF	Engine	0
58	1977	1977 Spanish F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	7	DNF	Engine	0
57	1977	1977 USA West F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	8	7		0
56	1977	1977 South African F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	4		3
55	1977	1977 Brazilian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	2		6
54	1977	1977 Argentine F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	DNF	Suspension	0
53	1976	1976 Japanese F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	2	3		4
52	1976	1976 USA F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
51	1976	1976 Canadian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
50	1976	1976 Italian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	24	DNF	Spun Off	0
49	1976	1976 Dutch F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	2	1		9
48	1976	1976 Austrian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	4		3
47	1976	1976 German F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
46	1976	1976 British F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	2	DSQ	Disqualified	0
45	1976	1976 French F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
44	1976	1976 Swedish F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	8	5		2
43	1976	1976 Monaco F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	0	DNF	Engine	0
42	1976	1976 Belgian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	3	DNF	Gearbox	0
41	1976	1976 Spanish F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
40	1976	1976 USA West F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	3	DNF	Accident	0
39	1976	1976 South African F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	2		6
38	1976	1976 Brazilian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	DNF	Accident	0
37	1975	1975 USA F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	15	4		3
36	1975	1975 Italian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	8	5		2
35	1975	1975 Austrian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	2	2		3
34	1975	1975 German F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	9	DNF	Wheel	0
33	1975	1975 British F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	9	4	Accident	3
32	1975	1975 French F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	3	2		6
31	1975	1975 Dutch F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	3	1		9
30	1975	1975 Swedish F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	13	DNF	Brakes	0
29	1975	1975 Belgian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	11	DNF	Transmission	0
28	1975	1975 Monaco F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	11	DNF	Accident	0
27	1975	1975 Spanish F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	3	DNF	Accident	0
26	1975	1975 South African F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	12	DNF	Fuel system	0
25	1975	1975 Brazilian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	7	6		1
24	1975	1975 Argentine F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	6	2		6
23	1974	1974 USA F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	2	3		4
22	1974	1974 Canadian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	8	4		3
21	1974	1974 Italian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	8	DNF	Engine	0
20	1974	1974 Austrian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	7	3		4
19	1974	1974 German F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	10	DNF	Gearbox	0
18	1974	1974 British F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	6	DNF	Suspension	0
17	1974	1974 French F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	10	DNF	Collision	0
16	1974	1974 Dutch F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	6	DNF	Collision	0
15	1974	1974 Swedish F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	6	3		4
14	1974	1974 Monaco F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	7	DNF	Halfshaft	0
13	1974	1974 Belgian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	9	DNF	Accident	0
12	1974	1974 Spanish F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	10	10		0
11	1974	1974 South African F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	14	DNF	Transmission	0
10	1974	1974 Brazilian F1 GP	24	March	Ford	18	9		0
9	1974	1974 Argentine F1 GP	24	March	Ford	5	DNF	Overheating	0
8	1973	1973 USA F1 GP	27	March	Ford	4	2		6
7	1973	1973 Canadian F1 GP	27	March	Ford	15	7		0
6	1973	1973 Italian F1 GP	27	March	Ford	0	DNS	Practice accident	0
5	1973	1973 Austrian F1 GP	27	March	Ford	9	DNF	Injection	0
4	1973	1973 Dutch F1 GP	27	March	Ford	7	3		4
3	1973	1973 British F1 GP	27	March	Ford	11	4		3
2	1973	1973 French F1 GP	27	March	Ford	14	6		1
1	1973	1973 Monaco F1 GP	27	March	Ford	18	9	Engine	0

Wins

James Hunt F1 Wins

	Year	Race	N^o	Team	Engine	Grid	Pos	Pts
10	1977	1977 Japanese F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	1	9
9	1977	1977 USA F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
8	1977	1977 British F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
7	1976	1976 USA F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
6	1976	1976 Canadian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
5	1976	1976 Dutch F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	2	1	9
4	1976	1976 German F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
3	1976	1976 French F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
2	1976	1976 Spanish F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
1	1975	1975 Dutch F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	3	1	9

Podiums

James Hunt F1 Podium Finishes

	Year	Race	N^o	Team	Engine	Grid	Pos	Pts
23	1978	1978 French F1 GP	7	McLaren	Ford	4	3	4
22	1977	1977 Japanese F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	1	9
21	1977	1977 USA F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
20	1977	1977 British F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
19	1977	1977 French F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	2	3	4
18	1977	1977 Brazilian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	2	6
17	1976	1976 Japanese F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	2	3	4
16	1976	1976 USA F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
15	1976	1976 Canadian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
14	1976	1976 Dutch F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	2	1	9
13	1976	1976 German F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
12	1976	1976 French F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
11	1976	1976 Spanish F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1	9
10	1976	1976 South African F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	2	6
9	1975	1975 Austrian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	2	2	3
8	1975	1975 French F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	3	2	6
7	1975	1975 Dutch F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	3	1	9
6	1975	1975 Argentine F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	6	2	6
5	1974	1974 USA F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	2	3	4
4	1974	1974 Austrian F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	7	3	4
3	1974	1974 Swedish F1 GP	24	Hesketh	Ford	6	3	4
2	1973	1973 USA F1 GP	27	March	Ford	4	2	6
1	1973	1973 Dutch F1 GP	27	March	Ford	7	3	4

Poles

James Hunt F1 Pole Positions

	Year	Race	N^o	Team	Engine	Grid	Pos	Retired	Pts
14	1977	1977 USA F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
13	1977	1977 Italian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	DNF	Spun Off	0
12	1977	1977 British F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
11	1977	1977 South African F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	4		3
10	1977	1977 Brazilian F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	2		6
9	1977	1977 Argentine F1 GP	1	McLaren	Ford	1	DNF	Suspension	0
8	1976	1976 USA F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
7	1976	1976 Canadian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
6	1976	1976 Austrian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	4		3
5	1976	1976 German F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
4	1976	1976 French F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
3	1976	1976 Spanish F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	1		9
2	1976	1976 South African F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	2		6
1	1976	1976 Brazilian F1 GP	11	McLaren	Ford	1	DNF	Accident	0

Comparison

James Hunt Teammate Comparison

Year	Team	Team Mate	Best Pos		Points		Wins	Poles	Pos		Quali
1973	March	David Purley	3	9	7	0	0	0	3	1	3	1
		Jean-Pierre Jarier	2	11	7	0	0	0	4	1	3	2
		Mike Beuttler	2	10	13	0	0	0	6	1	6	1
		Reine Wisell	6	21	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
		Roger Williamson	3	20	7	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
1974	Hesketh	Ian Scheckter	3	26	4	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
	March	Hans Joachim Stuck	9	17	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
		Howden Ganley	9	8	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	0
1975	Hesketh	Alan Jones	11	11	0	0	0	0	3	1	4	0
		Brett Lunger	2	10	8	0	0	0	3	0	3	0
		Harald Ertl	2	8	5	0	0	0	2	1	3	0
		Torsten Palm	11	10	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	0
1976	McLaren	Jochen Mass	1	3	69	19	6	8	12	4	15	1
1977	McLaren	Brett Lunger	1	9	22	0	2	3	5	4	9	0
		Bruno Giacomelli	15	13	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0
		Emilio de Villota	1	13	9	0	1	2	5	2	7	0
		Gilles Villeneuve	1	11	9	0	1	1	1	0	1	0
		Jochen Mass	1	2	40	25	3	6	11	6	16	1
1978	McLaren	Brett Lunger	3	7	8	0	0	0	10	4	14	0
		Bruno Giacomelli	3	7	4	0	0	0	2	3	5	0
		Emilio de Villota	6	27	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
		Nelson Piquet	10	9	0	0	0	0	2	1	3	0
		Patrick Tambay	3	4	8	8	0	0	4	11	14	1
		Tony Trimmer	25	30	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0