McLaren celebrates Hunt
At the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the 40th anniversary of James Hunt’s Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship was honoured by the unveiling of a very special McLaren. Inspired by his distinctive race helmet – black, and simply decorated with bands of red, blue and yellow to represent the colours of his childhood boarding school, Wellington College – the distinctive McLaren P1 GTR featured a similarly understated design.
Flash back 40 years and James Hunt joined the McLaren team following the unexpected departure of Emerson Fittipaldi. And after a tumultuous season, James and arch-rival Niki Lauda headed to a championship showdown at the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji. Ultimately Lauda, a close friend away from the track but a fierce adversary on it, retired, and a third-place finish earned James Hunt the 1976 Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship. Photos: McLaren Cars.