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“Listen to me, you are third!”

17. Aug 2020 
by Pierre Van Vliet
2478 views

The first Japanese Grand Prix in Formula One history was held at the Fuji racetrack in 1976, and was raced in pouring rain.

Niki Lauda, one of the two title candidates, stopped after one lap, judging the conditions too dangerous, and James Hunt needed to finish third or better to be crowned World Champion.

Great was the confusion at the end of the race and Hunt, who had been forced to stop at his pits to change tires in the closing stages, was fuming convinced he had missed the title, and his manager Teddy Mayer had to repeat several times that he indeed was third (middle picture).

This story was very well told in the movie “Rush”, but nice anecdote, Hunt and Lauda met again at the inauguration of the new Nürburgring in 1984 and for a demonstration of the new Mercedes 190. (picture here-under).

Source: DR

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