Miscellaneous stuff

James favourite pop group was The Rolling Stones

The cockpit of the McLaren had to be redisigned as James couldn't fit in it, as he was too tall!

James was an ambassador for Vauxhall cars, and was given a preveledge car each time he was in the UK. He appeared in many adverts for them.

He did a lot of fitness training with Chelsea FC

The James Hunt Fan Club ran from 1976 to 1979. It had a magazine which came out every 2 months. Members got an ID card, a signed photo, the magazine, a model of the McLaren, a badge, stickers and a poster.

After James left McLaren, he was offered a drive with Ferrari, but amazingly turned it down and joined Wolf instead. Ferrari were so impressed with the way he beat Lauda, that they offered him the drive that eventually went to Jody Scheckter, who won the championship in 1979.

James could play the trumpet and piano.

He appeared on the 1976 Morecambe and Wise Christmas show, where he chaffeured the two in a mini, before crashing into a tree! He asked Morecambe for a tip, which the reply to was 'Leave the women alone!'

James tried Indycars, NASCAR, touring cars, and Sportscar racing with the CanAm series and Le Mans cars. He also entered the RAC Rally of Britain with Noel Edmonds. They crashed on stage 1!

James tought Mika Hakkinen and Eddie Irvine when the two were in F3.

He did not like Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost and especially Riccardo Patrese. James thought Nigel was boring.

James famously caled Phillipe Alliot, the French driver a 'bloody idiot' on air, after Alliot held Ayrton Senna up, while Senna was trying to lap Alliot.

He shared a flat with Niki Lauda when the two were in F3.

Hunt was one of Ayrton Senna's most trusted friends, and with Gerhard Berger, persuaded Ayrton to stay in F1, when Senna was thinking of retiring.

Quotes

''This car is absolutely hopeless. It's like driving a wet sponge'' describing his first drive in the McLaren.

''Oi, Depailler! Where did you get your superlicence? Out of a crisp packet?!'' James was not amused after Tyrrell driver Patrick Depailler forced him into a wall in Long Beach.

''I wouldn't worry about your face Niki, you were ugly in the first place!'' After Lauda's firey crash in Germany, James and Niki talked on the phone sometimes up to an hour.

''Mclaren did a spectacularly sloppy job in Spain. They didn't even bother to check the car after the race!'' Can you imagine what would happen if a driver said this about his team nowadays?!

''Bloody Herman! He nobbled me well and truly!'' team mate Mass accidentally knocked Hunt of during the Canadian GP.

''What a load of rubbish!'' James opinion on the first race he commentated on.

''We've got this amazing situation, we're all sitting by the start and finish line waiting for a winner to come past and we don't seem to be getting one.''

Murray: Prost's car is on fire as he goes into the swimming pool!
James: That should put it out then!

''Very stupid driving from Mansell there.''

''And Mansell was very lucky to not be taken off by that REDICULOUS piece of driving by Alliot who didn't bother looking in his mirrors!''

''The problem with Jarier is that he's a French wally. Always was, and always will be.''

''I think Tambay will be thanking Jarier with a knuckle sandwich after that one. Jarier really is completely out of order. He's got a mental age of 10 in the first place, and it's absolutely disgraceful.''

''Patrese has gone off of his own accord, and you can hear the Italians showing that they prefer cars to people.''

Murray: Berger's car is on fire!
James: No Murray that's his rainlight

''Piquet has got no motivation whatsoever. He's only in F1 to keep his 45 metre yacht afloat.''

''No hurry for the Williams team, just very important to not make a mistake. And thats absolutely fine.......(matter of fact) Oh, and he's lost a wheel.''

''Andrea De Cesaris should really be called De Crasheris. He's smashed up so many cars in testing. He's an embarrasment to himself, his team and the sport, and maybe he should retire''

''And that's the end of Nakajima's race. And we had an excellent view of a fairly undestinguished driving performance, quite honestly.''

Murray: Rene Arnoux says that the reason he's so slow these days is that he's used to turbo cars and naturally aspirated cars are very different to drive. James: All I can say to that is bulls**t!

Quotes from rivals
''He was a helluva good driver, and an honest to God friend'' Niki Lauda

''I always got on with James and he was fun to be around'' Jody Scheckter

''James was a real gentleman.....'' Gilles Villeneuve

''I had a very good friendship with James. He never gave you any rubbish'' Ayrton Senna

''James was truly an unforgettable chap'' Murray Walker

''James was a very good driver, who did very well on his day'' Jackie Stewart