James Simon Wallis Hunt

James Simon Wallis Hunt was born on August 29, 1947 in Belmont, Surrey, England. He was the second child of Wallis Hunt, a stockbroker, and Sue Hunt, a cleaner. He had an elder sister, Sally, and four younger siblings, Peter, Timothy, David and Georgina. He attended Westerleigh School in Hastings and Wellington College in Berkshire. He was a keen sportsman, excelling in tennis and squash. He also developed a love for motor racing after watching his first race at the age of 18. Hunt started his racing career in touring car racing, driving a Mini that he bought with his savings. He then progressed to Formula Ford and Formula Three, where he attracted the attention of the Hesketh Racing team, led by Lord Alexander Hesketh. Hunt joined the team in 1969 and soon became known for his aggressive and flamboyant driving style, as well as his wild and rebellious lifestyle. He earned the nickname "Hunt the Shunt" for his frequent crashes and "The Shove" for his tendency to push other drivers off the track. Hunt entered Formula One in 1973 with Hesketh Racing, driving a March 731. He scored his first points in his fourth race at the Dutch Grand Prix. He then switched to the Hesketh 308 car, which was designed by Harvey Postlethwaite. He won his first race at the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix, beating Niki Lauda by a narrow margin. He also won two non-championship races that year, the BRDC International Trophy and the Race of Champions. In 1976, Hunt moved to McLaren after Hesketh Racing withdrew from Formula One due to financial difficulties. He faced a fierce rivalry with Lauda, who drove for Ferrari. The season was marked by drama and controversy, as both drivers fought for the title amid changing weather conditions, technical issues and accidents. The most notable incident was at the German Grand Prix at Nürburgring, where Lauda suffered severe burns after crashing his car and being trapped in flames. Hunt helped to pull him out of the wreckage and visited him at the hospital. Lauda miraculously recovered and returned to racing after six weeks. The championship came down to the final race at the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway. Lauda led Hunt by three points before the race, but decided to withdraw after two laps due to heavy rain and poor visibility. Hunt continued to race despite a punctured tyre and a damaged front wing. He managed to finish third after overtaking several cars on the last lap. He won the title by one point over Lauda, becoming the first British champion since Jackie Stewart in 1973. Hunt remained with McLaren for two more seasons, but failed to repeat his success. He won three more races in 1977, but finished fifth in the championship behind Lauda, who reclaimed his title with Ferrari. In 1978, he won only one race at the Monaco Grand Prix and finished eighth in the standings. He left McLaren at the end of the year and joined Wolf Racing in early 1979. However, he was unhappy with the performance of the car and retired from racing halfway through the season, after failing to finish six out of eight races. After retiring from racing, Hunt became a media commentator for the BBC, alongside Murray Walker. He was known for his witty and honest opinions, as well as his criticism of drivers who he felt were not trying hard enough. He also became a businessman, investing in property and aviation. He remained involved in motor racing as a manager and mentor for young drivers, such as Martin Brundle and Damon Hill. Hunt was married twice and had two sons. His first wife was Suzy Miller, a model and actress, whom he married in 1974. They divorced in 1976 after she left him for Richard Burton, the actor and former husband of Elizabeth Taylor. His second wife was Sarah Lomax, a former waitress, whom he married in 1983. They had two sons, Tom and Freddie, who both became racing drivers. They also raised Sarah's daughter from a previous relationship, Rosie. They divorced in 1989, but remained friends until Hunt's death. Hunt died of a heart attack in his sleep on June 15, 1993 at his home in Wimbledon, London. He was 45 years old. His funeral was held at St Mary's Church in Wimbledon, followed by a cremation at Putney Vale Crematorium. His ashes were scattered in the Gardens of Remembrance at the crematorium. He was posthumously inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Motor Sport Hall of Fame in 2014.