Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,840
25 cars line up to start
the last Grand Prix
2
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,480
of the most extraordinary season
in the history of Formula One.
3
00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,720
'This, then, is the clincher -
4
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:17,920
'the World Championship decider.'
5
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:23,040
As heavy rain pours down,
two drivers prepare for the race
that will decide
6
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,480
which one of them
becomes World Champion.
7
00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,240
'James Hunt in his McLaren.
8
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:31,760
'Niki Lauda in the Ferrari.
9
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,800
'The flag is down...'
10
00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:39,000
The two men could not be more
different. Britain's James Hunt
11
00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:44,600
is a fast, flamboyant showman
who parties as hard as he races.
12
00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:46,640
James is the driver of the old time.
13
00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,040
The gentleman driver,
the flamboyant...
14
00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,200
That has the natural talent to go
fast in a car.
15
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,720
There is a race going on, dear boy.
16
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,160
His rival is the steely Austrian
Niki Lauda who drives
17
00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,200
with cold, hard logic.
18
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,880
Niki was the scientist,
the counterpoint -
19
00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:08,360
he was the ultimate... The first
really technical driver.
20
00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:19,320
This is the story of Formula One's
legendary rivalry - told by those
who witnessed it first hand.
21
00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:22,360
James got out of the car,
pulled off his crash helmet,
22
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,000
started to rant and rave at them...
23
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,040
'And Brambilla spins!'
24
00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:28,640
The tension was just amazing.
25
00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:36,240
His face was a mask of blood
and I was saying, "My God,
how can he race?"
26
00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,560
With previously unseen footage
and exclusive interviews,
27
00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:47,360
this film charts the epic duel that
would change the lives of both men
and the sport forever.
28
00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,120
You couldn't make it up.
You could not make up this season.
29
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:51,600
It was just unbelievable.
30
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:01,960
'It's going to be a fantastic race.'
31
00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,400
Fans line the streets to see
Austrian Niki Lauda crowned
32
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:16,800
World Champion of 1975.
33
00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,240
Lauda drives for Ferrari -
34
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,760
the greatest racing car
constructor in the world.
35
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,640
But Lauda's thoughts
36
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:31,440
and those of his team are already
turning to next season.
37
00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:32,840
Ferrari's team manager
38
00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:39,560
Daniele Audetto is confident that
Lauda will retain his crown in 1976.
39
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,320
Niki Lauda was a very
professional driver.
40
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,800
He can see the strategy,
41
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,480
he can really understand when was
the moment to push a little more,
42
00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,560
a little bit less,
and was extremely fast
43
00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,160
and so consistent.
44
00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,480
But in Britain
a new challenger has emerged.
45
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,200
Ladies and gentlemen, James Hunt.
46
00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,120
APPLAUSE
47
00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,200
James Hunt has signed for British
team McLaren -
48
00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:24,840
Ferrari's arch rivals,
49
00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,480
but he has yet to prove
he is championship material.
50
00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,920
British drivers and British cars,
for that matter,
51
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:33,160
have dominated Grand Prix racing
52
00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,880
and our domination had
dropped off a little bit now
53
00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:41,000
and I just feel very ambitious
to take up the cudgels.
54
00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,440
I think James was hugely popular
55
00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,520
because he was an attractive
character.
56
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,000
He was a Brit
and loved in this country already.
57
00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,840
But I don't think people thought
he had anything like
58
00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,400
the chance that Niki Lauda had.
59
00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,800
Hunt is better known for his
romantic exploits than his driving.
60
00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,440
I once talked to Jackie Stewart
who had this thing about the car
61
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,080
being a woman.
62
00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,520
And you drove the car like you
made love to a woman.
63
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,160
Do you have
the same poetic turn...?
64
00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,200
I'd sooner stick to the women.
65
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:14,960
LAUGHTER
66
00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:19,600
With his last team,
his cavalier style had earned him
the nickname "Hunt the Shunt".
67
00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,360
Now, McLaren team manager
Alastair Caldwell
68
00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,200
has reservations about Hunt
joining the team.
69
00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,280
The '76 season got off to
a very interesting start for us.
70
00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:35,040
James didn't have a drive
and we didn't have a driver,
71
00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,160
so we were thrown into bed with him.
72
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:38,600
He rang me up and said,
73
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,240
"I think I'm your new driver."
I said, "I guess you are."
74
00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,280
One of the first things
you noticed is
75
00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:46,720
when the car was
switched off on the grid,
76
00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,560
he was so wound up,
the whole car was shaking
77
00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,000
with his nervous energy.
78
00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,960
He had a lot of adrenaline in him,
that's for sure.
79
00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,320
But that's one of the reasons
he was a good racing driver.
80
00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,720
He was always competitive.
81
00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,760
And always very focused on something
he wanted to do,
82
00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,000
be it budgerigars as a teenager,
83
00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,280
or train sets or Scalextric
84
00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:12,920
or something as a small boy.
85
00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,360
James was a sportsman,
through and through.
86
00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,400
He never played team games,
his sports
87
00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:19,200
were all solitary.
88
00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,160
He was very single-minded
and he knew what he wanted.
89
00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,080
He wanted to be World Champion.
90
00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:31,960
The 1976 season will
consist of 16 races over 10 months,
91
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,960
running from January to October
at locations across the world.
92
00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,960
It is not just Lauda
and Hunt that are in competition -
93
00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,560
15 different teams,
each with two drivers,
94
00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,880
are in the fight for the title.
95
00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,680
But Ferrari and McLaren
are the leading contenders.
96
00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,160
Ferrari were my arch enemies.
97
00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,600
Daniele Audetto
was their team manager,
98
00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,240
so I was at war with them.
99
00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,680
Ferrari has a history
100
00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,920
much bigger,
much longer than McLaren.
101
00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,040
We couldn't compete with them
on money
102
00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,160
but we could compete with them
in style and in efficiency.
103
00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,320
They're a lot bigger team
104
00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:13,960
and incredibly Italian.
105
00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,280
I think we respect each other
professionally
106
00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:19,160
but I don't have a beer with him
in the pub,
107
00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:20,960
if you want an example.
108
00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:27,080
Race one is in the scorching heat
of the Interlargos circuit
in Brazil.
109
00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:36,600
Each race will cover
a distance of 200 miles in
approximately two hours but first,
110
00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:43,320
each driver races against the clock
to set the best possible lap time.
111
00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,920
The driver with the best
time will be rewarded with
112
00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,200
first place on the starting line.
Pole position.
113
00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,480
In the thick of the action is pit
lane reporter, Peter Windsor.
114
00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,120
In the distance,
you'd hear an engine note,
115
00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,800
and four minutes later,
the car would reach you
116
00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,120
and all four
wheels would be off the ground.
117
00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,480
And you'd think,
"Wow, this is Formula One."
118
00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,280
The news on the track in Brazil is
that Hunt is fast.
119
00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,200
To everyone's amazement
he makes the best lap time
120
00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,800
and gains his first-ever
pole position.
121
00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:20,960
What I remember most is Niki Lauda
122
00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,800
looking up the pit lane and thinking,
"What's going on here?"
123
00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,120
Because nobody really knew,
including Niki,
124
00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,440
how good he would be.
125
00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,040
Do you just want to get a level?
126
00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,480
If I say "shucks" and BLEEP
and all that sort of stuff...
127
00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,320
Oh, dear. I'll cancel it, then.
Can we rub that out?
128
00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,800
He might have had some good lines
129
00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:42,800
for the microphones,
he might have had
130
00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,240
a roving eye for the girls,
131
00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,200
but in the cockpit,
he was very serious.
132
00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:59,880
Hunt takes his place at the front
of the starting grid,
just ahead of Lauda.
133
00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:03,960
The World Champion's car carries
the coveted number one,
134
00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,600
but all eyes are on the Hunt
in car number 11.
135
00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,440
Lauda gets the best start, with
Hunt's McLaren chasing hard behind.
136
00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,280
Sadly, in the race, part of the fuel
system or the engine fell off,
137
00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:41,520
so he flew off the road,
138
00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,280
which wasn't his fault.
139
00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,360
So it wasn't a fairy-tale beginning,
140
00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,560
but everybody left Brazil
very pleased
141
00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:52,320
that James was obviously quick.
142
00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,080
Lauda has seen off Hunt's challenge
143
00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,840
and collects nine points to start
building his score.
144
00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:05,880
The points scoring system was
disarmingly simple.
145
00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,360
Nine points for a win, six for
second, four for third,
146
00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,200
down to sixth place where you
got one point.
147
00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:20,320
We didn't know it would become
so complicated.
148
00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,000
In an age when Concorde is
taking its first passenger flight
149
00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,080
and synth music is capturing
the imagination, Lauda's highly
150
00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,920
technical approach perfectly suits
a time falling in love with
technology.
151
00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:34,720
MUSIC: "Autobahn" by Kraftwerk
152
00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,320
Lauda is a complete driver -
preparing his Ferrari
153
00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,880
meticulously before every race.
154
00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,600
He could stay in the garage
155
00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,320
until maybe eight
o'clock in the evening
156
00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,880
to stay with the mechanic,
157
00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,920
to make sure he does the job
properly
158
00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,960
and to understand what
they are doing.
159
00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,800
Because Niki is a perfectionist.
160
00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,680
What he's doing,
he want to do it to his best.
161
00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,440
At Lauda's side is his wife,
Marlene.
162
00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:18,040
Marlene was a fantastic young lady.
163
00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,600
She was a beautiful lady,
164
00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,280
but for Niki she was also a big
moral supporter,
165
00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,400
and I think was a big
part of his success.
166
00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,440
Lauda knows how to get the best
out of his team.
167
00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,680
Niki Lauda had really learned
168
00:10:36,680 --> 00:10:38,720
how to make Ferrari work for him.
169
00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,760
An awful lot of very good drivers
170
00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,800
went to Ferrari
and never quite made it work.
171
00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:45,840
It had a terrifying presence
172
00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,160
of Enzo Ferrari,
with his dark glasses,
173
00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,320
looming over the whole thing.
174
00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,560
Incidere senz'altro, perche...
175
00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:59,400
After nearly five decades
in motor racing, the 78-year-old
176
00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:04,920
Enzo Ferrari rules his family
business with an iron fist.
177
00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,360
Mr Ferrari lost his temper and say,
178
00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,360
"I am the boss here,
you have to do what I want."
179
00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:14,640
He did have his favourites
180
00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,320
and Niki, clearly,
181
00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,560
had got close to Enzo
Ferrari in that way,
182
00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:23,800
and I think the bottom line is Enzo
Ferrari liked to win.
183
00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,040
He loved winners.
184
00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:26,840
He cared about the results.
185
00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:31,560
And Lauda delivers, pulling further
186
00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:36,800
and further ahead of Hunt
with every race,
187
00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:42,000
but at the fourth round in Spain,
Lauda has worrying news for Audetto.
188
00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,280
"Daniele, I have a problem."
"What happened?"
189
00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,360
"I fell off from my tractor
190
00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,040
"in my house, in my garden
191
00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:53,120
"and I broke two or three ribs."
192
00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:55,600
I said, "My God -
two or three ribs?!"
193
00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,920
He had a gardening accident,
I think.
194
00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,360
I think he was mowing his lawn
in Austria with a garden tractor
195
00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:02,960
and it rolled on him, which is
196
00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:08,120
quite a common occurrence
with garden tractors.
197
00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,600
James had this approach to it all,
which was,
198
00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,320
"He's no problem.
Halfway through the race, his ribs
199
00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,640
"will give up and I'll pass him and
win the race." It's exactly what
happened!
200
00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:19,680
# There was something
in the air that night
201
00:12:19,680 --> 00:12:23,320
# The stars were bright
Fernando... #
202
00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,880
'His first win for Marlboro McLaren.'
203
00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,320
You're still extremely fast.
How do you do it?
204
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:29,440
Big balls.
205
00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,920
# Though we never
thought that we could lose
206
00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,760
# There's no regrets... #
207
00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,080
But Hunt's victory is short-lived.
208
00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,360
In the scrutineering area
afterwards,
209
00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,480
there was this unheard-of situation
210
00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,920
where the car was disqualified
211
00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,200
and that was something nobody in
Formula One really was prepared for.
212
00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:00,720
Teams are allowed to modify the car
to suit each circuit,
213
00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,760
but they must work within
strict regulations.
214
00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,200
One centimetre in a Formula One car
215
00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:07,600
makes such a big difference.
216
00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:15,080
In Spain, Hunt's car had been found
to be just over a centimetre
too wide.
217
00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,160
Before the race, the car was
measured by the organisers,
218
00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,800
and every day,
they didn't say anything.
219
00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:22,840
I'm pretty sure
they were talking to Ferrari
220
00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:24,480
cos there was kindred spirit there -
221
00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,520
the Spanish-speaking Catholic
country.
222
00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,760
Ferrari were saying,
"Sh! Keep it shtoom. Say nothing."
223
00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:35,320
I was never involved
with the scrutineering.
224
00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,120
I was involved with MY
scrutineering, with my cars,
225
00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:44,160
because I want that my car respect,
100%, the rules, because otherwise,
Ferrari kill me.
226
00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,800
Hunt's points are given to Lauda -
227
00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,040
and it looks like McLaren will
leave Spain empty-handed.
228
00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,640
We immediately appealed
cos we thought
229
00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,120
the penalty didn't fit the crime.
230
00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,600
It was like being hung for
stealing a loaf of bread.
231
00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,440
They pretend in the appeal to say
232
00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,360
that this was difference was
not affecting
233
00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,520
the performance of the car.
BLEEP.
234
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,320
Had you any idea that the car
might be thrown out?
235
00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,200
No. I don't know,
I just drive the damn thing.
236
00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,640
Although their teams are at war,
237
00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,200
both drivers are trying to steer
clear of politics, but despite
238
00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:29,480
their different characters,
their passion for racing is a bond.
239
00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,200
Niki spent time in our pits.
240
00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,160
He was always visiting us and his
grasp of English was very good.
241
00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,120
He was always known as The Rat,
cos he looked like a rat.
242
00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:40,880
So he was called Rat to his face.
243
00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,280
James said, "Hello, Rat."
244
00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:44,720
They meshed well,
245
00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,560
because they weren't actually
directly in competition from looks.
246
00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,440
MUSIC: "Tear The Roof Off The Sucker"
by Parliament
247
00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,760
The wild side of '70s
Formula One is revealed in this
248
00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:06,040
recently discovered
footage of an after-race party.
249
00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,080
Hunt is the star -
with Lauda in the wings.
250
00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,160
For sure,
Niki was in awe of James' good looks
251
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:29,800
and personality.
252
00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,720
James was the good-looking playboy
253
00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:40,160
and Niki was the small Austrian
254
00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,160
who looked like a rat.
255
00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:47,760
They were good friends,
256
00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,360
though on the racetrack, of course,
no quarter given.
257
00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,960
The race driver persona can change
258
00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,200
completely - once on the racetrack,
all this is forgotten.
259
00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,920
All successful racing drivers
are invested with an enormous ego.
260
00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:06,960
They all think they're the quickest.
261
00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:12,240
They can't imagine they're not the
fastest racing driver in the world.
262
00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:17,720
To admit to anything else but that
would be ludicrous.
263
00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,600
Niki and James both though they were
the best racing driver in the world.
264
00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,960
As the season approaches halfway,
and even when the points from Spain
265
00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:32,360
are reinstated, it's Lauda who still
dominates with double Hunt's points.
266
00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,880
MUSIC: "More Than A Feeling"
by Boston
267
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,400
When the Grand Prix circus moves
to Britain, the country is
268
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,680
sweltering in temperatures
reaching 35 degrees centigrade.
269
00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,520
Skirts were getting shorter.
270
00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,800
It was getting hotter.
271
00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,520
England was baking, the whole
of Europe was. It never rained.
272
00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,240
We slept in the garden for months.
273
00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,720
It was quite a remarkable year,
274
00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:08,320
in more ways than one.
275
00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,440
But behind the sunny mirage,
Britain is in the grip of political
276
00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,880
uncertainty and economic upheaval -
inflation is rampant
277
00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:22,760
and for ordinary people,
the future is anything but certain.
278
00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:26,280
We all know how hard
the employment market is just now
279
00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:27,880
for new entrants
280
00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,560
and I know how much harder it is
281
00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,920
and has been for many of you
to get your first job.
282
00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:37,160
# More than a feeling... #
283
00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:40,360
The return of Hunt
is a welcome distraction.
284
00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,080
I think the British public saw James
285
00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:47,760
as a sort of hero figure...
286
00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:49,360
Hello, girls.
287
00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:51,080
..somebody they could admire
288
00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,440
who was giving two fingers
to the Establishment.
289
00:17:55,600 --> 00:18:00,560
It looked good in what might be
a rather austere time for other
people.
290
00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:02,800
MUSIC: "Get It On" by T Rex
291
00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,680
He had a sort of freedom about him.
292
00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,440
He didn't really care what
people thought.
293
00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,320
Hunt's unpredictable
personality is a potential
294
00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:18,200
problem for the team's sponsor,
Marlboro cigarettes.
295
00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,240
HE COUGHS
296
00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,720
Excuse me, I've been
training for my new sponsors.
297
00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,120
JACKIE STEWART LAUGHS
298
00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:30,160
Image is everything for the American
brand and John Hogan, the man
299
00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:35,240
from Marlboro, has been tasked with
keeping the young sportsman in line.
300
00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:40,160
He was this very brash figure
301
00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,160
with a trail of destruction
behind him.
302
00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,720
That was going to be
new for McLaren,
303
00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,480
which was quite a straight-laced
organisation
304
00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:51,320
and also for his sponsors -
305
00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,600
which were also straight-laced
organisations.
306
00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:59,800
In the year colour television sales
overtake black-and-white, Hunt's
307
00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,280
car flashes Marlboro's distinctive
red-and-white brand across the
308
00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:08,880
screen - and with it, he brings
his own unique splash of colour.
309
00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:14,440
Turning up to a dinner party
310
00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,440
in black tie and flip-flops
311
00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,480
was, to James, pretty normal.
312
00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:26,880
Because he had this...I don't know
what the British call savoir-faire,
313
00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,480
he was able to carry it off.
314
00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:34,240
James changed the way
Marlboro looked.
315
00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,560
It was the first
and probably only example
316
00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,440
of a sponsor being moulded
by the driver and not vice versa.
317
00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:50,640
'This is Brands Hatch, just outside
of London in the Kent countryside.
318
00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,840
'Today is British Grand Prix day.
319
00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,720
'The biggest day on Britain's
motor-sport calendar.'
320
00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:58,840
The race is sold out.
321
00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,560
Britain is in the grip
of Hunt Fever.
322
00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:07,400
A record 80,000 spectators fill the
circuit and all eyes are on one man.
323
00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,720
Brands Hatch is packed.
324
00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,840
Every grandstand is packed,
every grassy bank is packed.
325
00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,600
The reason - because they're hoping
to see the first English victory
326
00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:18,800
in the John Player British
Grand Prix
327
00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,280
since Peter Collins won,
in a Ferrari, of course,
328
00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,760
way back in 1958.
329
00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,960
At Brands Hatch, what you had was
330
00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,080
a front row, after qualifying,
331
00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:32,080
which looked as though it was
setting the race up perfectly,
332
00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,120
because you had Niki Lauda
and James Hunt
333
00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:36,720
on the front row,
334
00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:38,760
Clay Regazzoni behind
in the other Ferrari.
335
00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,160
There is drama right from the start.
336
00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,360
Clay Regazzoni managed to
drive into the back wheel
337
00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:51,320
of Lauda,
338
00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,280
so the two Ferraris actually
collided.
339
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,040
Complete mayhem began.
340
00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:57,880
'Laffite sends Hunt flying.'
341
00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,880
James' car landed
on the left front corner,
342
00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:02,760
but being a McLaren, didn't break.
343
00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,040
And being James, with the two pints
of adrenaline, he didn't stop.
344
00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,520
He charged off with the front wheels
splayed out, like this.
345
00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:11,160
'Drivers who escaped the pile-up
346
00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,920
'are soon flagged down
and the race called to a halt.'
347
00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:16,960
James was immediately thinking,
348
00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:20,240
"I've got to get back to the pits
and have the car mended."
349
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,840
I got out of trouble completely.
I never hit anybody.
I stopped on the left.
350
00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,080
And they BLEEP came and piled
into me.
351
00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:27,680
Can you tell us what happened?
352
00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,760
There's a race going on, dear boy.
353
00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,960
The race has ground to
a complete halt.
354
00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,040
The organisers want to restart
immediately
355
00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,840
but Hunt's damaged car is
not on the grid.
356
00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,720
In the chaos, in the pit,
he comes running up to me.
357
00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:43,160
I said, "What's the car like?"
He said,
358
00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,080
"The car's destroyed, a write-off."
359
00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:49,240
I wandered down to have
a look at the race car
360
00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,240
and realised the race car was
repairable.
361
00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:56,000
James explanation that it was
a "write-off" was not true.
362
00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:01,640
Caldwell and McLaren will have to
act quickly. There are only minutes
to spare.
363
00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,320
It was thought that James Hunt
would not be allowed
364
00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,840
to take the restart.
365
00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:12,200
And the crowd got behind James
as a driver they wanted to see
in that restart
366
00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:18,480
in a way that you don't see
outside a soccer match.
367
00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,520
SLOW HANDCLAPPING
368
00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:26,320
The slow handclap which ran
from the start/finish line
369
00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:30,280
all the way up to Paddock Bend
and all the way round South Bank
370
00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,120
and round to Westfield Bend
371
00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:35,560
and then it became boos
and then it became catcalls.
372
00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,400
CROWD: We want Hunt! We want Hunt!
373
00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:45,280
Then, the marshals had to
rush onto the track,
374
00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:49,400
to pick up beer cans and coke cans
and even bottles.
375
00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,680
I've never seen, at a motor race,
376
00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,840
quite such an extraordinary
display from the public.
377
00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,080
"We want James Hunt,
we want James Hunt."
378
00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:00,840
A mini riot was going on...
379
00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,240
which was not very British.
380
00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:12,120
McLaren were delighted that there
was this confusion and delay
381
00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:15,360
because it gave them a little more
time to mend James Hunt's car.
382
00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:19,640
'When they return to the grid,
the crowd goes wild.
383
00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,160
'Now James Hunt is certain
to start again.'
384
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,360
Ferrari, you could see them,
their faces fell
385
00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:32,440
cos they knew instantly what
had happened -
386
00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:33,640
we had fixed the race car.
387
00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,080
What I remember most of all
388
00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,920
is Niki Lauda in a rage,
getting back into his car.
389
00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,360
He had suddenly realised how
much time had passed
390
00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:43,680
and that McLaren had had
time to repair
391
00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,640
their race car again
and get it onto the grid,
392
00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,080
and he was absolutely livid.
393
00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,480
'Back to the grid,
and off they go again.'
394
00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:55,400
After another chaotic start,
395
00:23:55,400 --> 00:24:00,240
Lauda storms ahead, with Hunt
chasing hard on his tail.
396
00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:06,760
'The battle's really on now
between Niki Lauda and James Hunt.'
397
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,400
Niki Lauda in the Ferrari leading,
398
00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,040
James Hunt,
cheered on by the British crowd,
399
00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:13,680
gradually winding him in.
400
00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,160
As we went past half distance,
the cars go round
401
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,040
Paddock Bend,
down to the bottom of the hill,
402
00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:26,160
up the hill and behind the trees.
403
00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:30,120
As the cars then came back
into our sight,
404
00:24:30,120 --> 00:24:33,360
the McLaren was in front.
405
00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:40,680
And that's when the crowd erupted.
406
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,000
# It's more than a feeling... #
407
00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:52,440
'Britain's James Hunt, in a Marlboro
McLaren, wins the British Grand
Prix.'
408
00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,480
And we did win the
British Grand Prix, fair and square.
409
00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,360
James, how much does this
victory mean to you?
410
00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:02,920
Nine points, $20,000
and a lot of happiness.
411
00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,400
Can I grab that cigarette off you?
Thanks.
412
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,760
CHEERING
413
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,120
But Ferrari is about to
spoil the party...
414
00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,080
I think Ferrari appealed
straightaway after the race
415
00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:22,520
that we didn't comply
with the rules.
416
00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,960
We couldn't work out what
kind of rule they thought
417
00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,840
we hadn't complied with.
418
00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:32,480
The rule says, and I am surprised but
I am not surprised Alastair doesn't
know well the rules,
419
00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:34,760
that is another example,
420
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:42,240
that you have to complete
the racecourse, even if the race
is suspended.
421
00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:48,200
Instead of completing a lap,
as the race was stopped,
422
00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,960
Hunt had taken a shortcut
back to the pits.
423
00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,640
In cutting behind the Paddock,
424
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,680
he didn't complete the race distance.
425
00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,480
Simple than that.
426
00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,240
For now, the race winning
points are Hunt's, but the result
427
00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:07,160
hangs in the balance, waiting on a
hearing scheduled for months later.
428
00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:17,840
The next race is at the notorious
Nurburgring in Germany.
429
00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:22,440
The Nurburgring was a frightening
but fantastic racetrack.
430
00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:24,480
It's 14.7 miles round,
431
00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,720
goes up and down thousands of feet,
432
00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:28,640
it's got hundreds of corners.
433
00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,920
It was generally hostile to
fast racing cars,
434
00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,040
which was part of its appeal.
435
00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:39,120
Three-times World Champion Jackie
Stewart had driven the course to
436
00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:43,400
highlight the dangers of a track
that had claimed more than 50 lives.
437
00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,120
Every time I see this,
it frightens me.
438
00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:48,240
There's no barriers
on the right-hand side,
439
00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,800
there's just a rock face
and trees.
440
00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,320
You have a left-hand-side barrier
441
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,760
but that's not where you'll
go off the road.
442
00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,800
I think if I were to walk round them,
443
00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,400
I would he horrified and never drive
round the place again.
444
00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,040
The faster you drive round the ring,
the less you know,
445
00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:05,280
and maybe that's
the best thing to do.
446
00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,160
For a quick lap at the Nurburgring,
447
00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,560
you probably experience
more in seven minutes
448
00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:11,280
and six or seven seconds
449
00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,240
than most people have
experienced in all their life.
450
00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:18,720
It was a pre-health-and-safety era.
451
00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,560
Motor racing was dangerous.
452
00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:22,480
It said so
on the back of every ticket.
453
00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,720
And it was part of what it was.
454
00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:31,720
Nearly every year in Formula One,
a driver had been killed.
455
00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,360
By this stage, I'd lost
456
00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:38,280
my brother in a racing car accident.
457
00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,280
After that, I thought,
"I won't befriend racing drivers.
458
00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,280
"I'll have them
as people who work for me,
459
00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:44,680
"but I won't become their friend,
460
00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,160
"because I don't want to go
to their funeral as a friend.
461
00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,800
"I want to go
as their team manager."
462
00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,240
For Lauda, the Nurburgring isn't
worth the risk.
463
00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:57,080
He calls a meeting of the drivers
in an attempt to have it stopped.
464
00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,760
But his fellow drivers don't agree.
465
00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,080
He loses by one vote,
466
00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,040
and now has no choice but to race.
467
00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:35,880
For the first time in the season,
it is raining on Race Day -
468
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,560
but the track is
so long that not all of it is wet -
469
00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:42,200
the choice of tyres will be crucial.
470
00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:45,960
Wet tyres, they're quite tall -
they have
471
00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:49,080
big tread on them like a road tyre,
unlike the slicks,
472
00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:51,120
which are smooth, no tread at all.
473
00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,880
Like most of the field, Lauda starts
the race on wet weather tyres
474
00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:03,320
but quickly discovers he is losing
too much speed on every dry
475
00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,600
section of the track.
476
00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,400
After the first lap,
477
00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,840
many drivers come into the pits
478
00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,000
to change the tyres,
it was really chaos.
479
00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,480
The pit stop was a little bit slow.
480
00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:17,840
When Niki started
for the second lap,
481
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,800
with the slick,
482
00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:22,520
he was about maybe
483
00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,160
in tenth position.
484
00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:27,720
For a driver, it's not good
485
00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,080
psychologically to go to
race on a circuit
486
00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,480
that you judge is too dangerous.
487
00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:37,040
It puts you in a condition
that you are afraid.
488
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,480
When he restarted on the second lap,
489
00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,040
it was not the cool Niki
490
00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:44,960
that we know.
491
00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:48,600
Lauda will not complete the lap.
492
00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,120
His helmet comes off in the impact.
493
00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:12,200
He is trapped in a fire burning
at over 400 degrees centigrade.
494
00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:17,240
It will be nearly a minute before
Lauda is pulled from the flames.
495
00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,760
I put his head on my lap.
Didn't want him to lie flat.
496
00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,920
But he was conscious
and talked all the way through.
497
00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:36,360
He said, "Is my face burned,
is it burned?"
498
00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:38,400
I replied, "Don't worry, it's OK."
499
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,120
In fact,
his forehead was badly burned
500
00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:42,760
and his scalp was actually charred.
501
00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:44,480
rather than telling him all this,
502
00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,720
we tried to keep him as quiet
and composed as possible.
503
00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,560
Lauda is rushed to hospital.
504
00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:05,000
Amongst the drivers who arrive just
after the crash is James Hunt.
505
00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:16,200
We weren't aware Niki was in trouble
because there were racing
drivers at the scene
506
00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:18,400
and he was conscious
and talking to everybody
507
00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,640
so the drivers came back to the pits
and said,
508
00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,880
"Niki's burnt but he's OK,
he's fine."
509
00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:28,280
With the track cleared, the race is
restarted and Hunt is victorious.
510
00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:35,480
He is now just 14 points
behind Lauda.
511
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,240
Then the news came
through that he was
512
00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,760
gravely ill,
513
00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,000
so that cast a shadow over
the whole thing.
514
00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:55,520
I can remember it now and thinking,
"He isn't going to live,"
515
00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,240
and I felt absolutely horrendous.
516
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,080
I felt like the bottom had
fallen out of my world.
517
00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,280
When we arrived at the hospital,
518
00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:20,160
Niki was, little by little,
losing consciousness.
519
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:19,040
Whilst Lauda battles for his life,
520
00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:22,600
Ferrari are already
looking for another driver.
521
00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,960
I was speaking with Ferrari
all the time about the accident
522
00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:27,480
and Ferrari said to me,
523
00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:32,040
"Ferrari will live,
with or without Niki.
524
00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:36,240
"You don't need to stay
in the hospital.
525
00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,080
"We need you to go
back to the circuit
526
00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:41,640
"and find another driver,
527
00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,360
"because if Niki will not drive,
528
00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:46,480
"Ferrari will not stop."
529
00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:53,800
Once he had been the protege
of Enzo Ferrari, but for Enzo,
530
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,440
giving up on the World Championship
is not an option.
531
00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:00,520
Press and the public like to
concentrate on the driver as being
532
00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,160
the most important member
of the team, but he's not at all.
533
00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:06,200
A driver is very much replaceable.
534
00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:10,920
The unfortunate idea of the two
McLaren drivers
535
00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:13,440
being involved in a motorway
accident together
536
00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:15,200
and dying -
537
00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,560
do you think their team would be
in the back
538
00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:19,000
row of the grid at the next race?
539
00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,200
No, they won't be,
cos they'll just hire
540
00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,960
two more hot shoes
and they'll be right up there.
541
00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,760
Hunt takes full
advantage in the next two races,
542
00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:32,280
closing the gap to just two points.
543
00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:34,400
With Niki Lauda, his main opponent,
544
00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,080
likely to be in hospital
for some time,
545
00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:40,080
his chances of winning
the title are pretty good.
546
00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:44,800
Lauda has second and third-degree
burns to his face and hands.
547
00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,720
Part of his scalp has been
burnt away.
548
00:34:47,720 --> 00:34:52,440
He has lost half of one ear
and his lungs are barely working.
549
00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:57,800
I was suddenly aware,
through the accident,
550
00:34:57,800 --> 00:34:59,400
how quickly you can die.
551
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,280
I remember my wife coming
552
00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:08,760
and she burst in tears,
553
00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:12,600
so she was very much affected
when she saw me there.
554
00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:17,880
I said, "BLEEP, if she's crying,
I must be in a bad stage."
555
00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:21,760
But in racing, the risk
556
00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:23,920
and taking chances was
exactly the same
557
00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:26,040
as it was before,
558
00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,040
because this was part of the game.
559
00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:38,240
'Just 40 days after doctors had
given up hope
560
00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:40,440
'and a priest had
knelt at his bedside,
561
00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,480
'the Austrian ace climbed
back into the cockpit
562
00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:46,440
'of his glaring red Ferrari.
563
00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:52,240
'His friends and colleagues claim
564
00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:55,280
'that his miracle recovery had more
to do with his iron will
565
00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:57,280
'than with master surgery.'
566
00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:04,400
With five races left and everything
still to play for, Lauda is back.
567
00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,520
When I came to the hospital,
568
00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:12,360
you feel a kind of...
569
00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:14,760
you feel you are very tired.
570
00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:16,960
And you would like to go and sleep
571
00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,240
but you know it's not just going
sleeping, it's something else.
572
00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:22,920
And then you just fight
with the brain.
573
00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:24,600
You hear noises
574
00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,040
and you hear voices
and you just try to listen
575
00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:29,800
to what they're saying
and try to keep your brain working
576
00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,240
and to get the body ready to fight
against illness.
577
00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:35,880
I think this was very good
that I did that
578
00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:37,640
because in that way, I survived.
579
00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:39,240
Niki Lauda
580
00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:42,080
was recovering so fast
581
00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:45,040
that he proposed to Ferrari
582
00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:47,160
to race in Monza.
583
00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,280
Ferrari said, "No, don't,
584
00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:52,960
"because if we lose the championship
at the end of the year,
585
00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,200
"it's better you don't start
so early,
586
00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:57,640
"because then
we can say you had an accident.
587
00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:01,400
"This was exactly
the opposite of what I was thinking."
588
00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,880
At Lauda's side is his wife,
Marlene.
589
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,720
She has been with him
throughout his recovery but
590
00:37:29,720 --> 00:37:32,560
Monza is the last place
she wants him to be.
591
00:37:57,960 --> 00:37:59,760
Monza, Italy.
592
00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,640
Home to Ferrari and their fans.
593
00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:08,560
After coming within
seconds of being burnt to death,
594
00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:11,560
Lauda returns to a hero's welcome.
595
00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,840
When we went to Monza,
the focus was on Niki -
596
00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,640
110%.
597
00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:20,920
We took him inside
598
00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:23,720
the garage,
he took out the balaclava
599
00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:27,560
and his face was a mask
600
00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:30,080
of blood.
601
00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:32,800
I said, "My God, how can he race?"
602
00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:41,200
It was pouring with
rain on his return.
603
00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:46,480
This is the Nurburgring carrying on,
almost, you know,
604
00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:49,360
the gloom of the Nurburgring.
605
00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:51,560
Is there any psychological
after-effects from this
606
00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:53,200
accident for you at all?
607
00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:54,840
I don't think so.
608
00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:56,200
Everything looks good.
609
00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:07,280
Lauda prepares to go
back on the track to
610
00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,280
race against the clock for his place
on the starting grid.
611
00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:16,600
The pressure was on. Ferrari called.
Should I race or not race?
612
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:21,320
It was a huge pressure on me
for that particular race.
613
00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:25,920
The physical scars have begun to
heal but the mental ones run deeper.
614
00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:32,400
I came to the circuit,
wanted to drive out of the pits
and couldn't drive.
615
00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:45,240
And I suddenly was hit by the whole
four weeks' accident problems -
616
00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:47,960
all these kind of things.
And I just couldn't drive.
617
00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,840
I did one slow lap,
went back into the pits.
618
00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:57,000
I said, "I go back there
and I drive for myself."
619
00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:19,880
And in the end of the day,
620
00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:21,960
I was quickest Ferrari
621
00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,200
and was right back like before.
622
00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:29,280
Just before the race begins,
Hunt's team, McLaren, are having
623
00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:34,560
problems of their own - their fuel
has been ruled to be illegal.
624
00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:36,560
We were made to pump the fuel
out of our cars,
625
00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:38,640
fill up with standard
fuel at the racetrack
626
00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:40,240
and start on the back of the grid.
627
00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:42,680
So we were shafted by the Italians.
628
00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:44,760
But they're very good at this.
629
00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,840
The Italian Mafiosi
630
00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:50,080
managed to get us on the back row of
that grid.
631
00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:54,480
How is it feeling,
fighting against Niki again?
632
00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:56,120
Hard work.
633
00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:59,000
When he first met him, James said
straightaway,
634
00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:03,800
"Niki, you're the only person I know
who could be in a fire and come out
better looking."
635
00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:10,720
For Niki,
this race is life-or-death.
636
00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:16,000
"I finish and I go in the points
or I lose the championship
637
00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:17,640
"here in Monza."
638
00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:22,320
Stuck at the back of the grid,
639
00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:27,640
Hunt makes a charge on the first
lap, but as he tries to fight his
way through,
640
00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:31,880
he almost immediately spins
out of the race.
641
00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:35,000
'The partisan Italian crowd
cheers for only two things today -
642
00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:36,800
'a Ferrari competitor
643
00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:39,400
'or their most serious
challenger for the World Championship
644
00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:40,800
'in trouble.
645
00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:42,400
'Here it is - the latter.'
646
00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:44,360
Poor James didn't enjoy
the walk back
647
00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:46,040
past the Italian fans.
648
00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:48,600
Actually, knowing James,
he probably loved it.
649
00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:02,920
Lauda's wife, Marlene,
can only watch.
650
00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:38,480
Incredibly,
651
00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:41,320
Niki finished not only the race,
but finished fourth.
652
00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:47,400
That was something incredible.
653
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:49,640
CROWD: Niki Lauda!
654
00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:18,880
Hunt and McLaren jet off to practise
for the Canadian Grand Prix,
655
00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:21,240
but their troubles
are far from over.
656
00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:26,480
In Paris, Ferrari presents its case
for overturning McLaren's
657
00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:29,080
win at the British Grand Prix.
658
00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:33,160
There were gentlemen in blazers
wearing old school ties
659
00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:36,880
who were meant to decide on matters
660
00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:39,520
of whether people should be
disqualified,
661
00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:41,640
drivers should start or not start.
662
00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:44,880
None of them really seemed to have
read the rule book very clearly.
663
00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:46,720
These three old boys turned up
664
00:43:46,720 --> 00:43:50,360
and were introduced to the saintly
Niki before they went in,
665
00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:53,200
which was all part of Ferrari's...
666
00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:58,080
..psychological warfare.
667
00:43:59,520 --> 00:44:05,640
So they all went in, going, "We've
touched the hand of Saint Niki..."
668
00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:10,680
The verdict goes against McLaren
and nine vital points are deducted.
669
00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:14,560
So we didn't win
the British Grand Prix,
670
00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:16,360
and there's no appeal to
this appeal.
671
00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:17,800
That's the end of it.
672
00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:23,080
With so many points lost and only
three races to go, the odds are
673
00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:28,560
heavily against Hunt, and the strain
is showing between him and Lauda.
674
00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:30,920
I hope that on the other
end of this telephone
675
00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:33,440
we have James Hunt, who's a very
long way away in Toronto.
676
00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:36,040
Hello, James. Good afternoon to you.
'Afternoon, Frank.'
677
00:44:36,040 --> 00:44:39,640
Disappointed with this decision
but are you really surprised?
678
00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:41,760
'Yes, I was very surprised
679
00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:45,240
'because, as far as the rules were
concerned,
680
00:44:45,240 --> 00:44:47,920
'there was no question -
Ferrari had no case.'
681
00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:50,160
We've just pulled off the tapes
here in London
682
00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:52,360
as I've been talking to you
a quote from Niki Lauda.
683
00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:54,960
He has reacted to the news,
quite understandably, by saying,
684
00:44:54,960 --> 00:44:56,520
"I'm madly delighted,"
685
00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:58,480
and he goes on to say that,
686
00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,680
"I am satisfied, not just
because this will be good for me,
687
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:04,240
"because at least a positive
decision has been taken
688
00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:05,600
"in the interests of the sport."
689
00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:06,960
What do you say to that?
690
00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:10,680
'Well, it's the sort of rubbish
you'd expect.
691
00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:14,080
'The guy has, you know,
had a very bad accident.
692
00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:16,320
'He's been very brave
and done every well.
693
00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:18,960
'But he'd do well to
considerate it as a sport.'
694
00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:21,440
I see. You are very critical
about the way he behaves, are you?
695
00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:24,840
'Niki isn't a sportsman -
Niki's interested in one thing,
and that's Niki.'
696
00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:28,880
I don't want to discuss
if the decision was wrong or right.
697
00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:32,760
At least, I expected James to
react in the same way -
698
00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:34,360
to respect me as a driver.
699
00:45:34,360 --> 00:45:36,600
And fight
if he wants against Ferrari.
700
00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:39,240
I decided we couldn't possibly
win the World Championship
701
00:45:39,240 --> 00:45:41,720
from this position now
without these points
702
00:45:41,720 --> 00:45:47,760
and stopped trying to control
James' excesses,
which became quite excessive.
703
00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:51,240
MUSIC: "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac
704
00:45:54,040 --> 00:45:55,880
We were staying in a great, big
motel
705
00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:57,920
on the side of the freeway
in Toronto
706
00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:02,680
and there was a live
band in the bar.
707
00:46:02,680 --> 00:46:06,480
And the lead singer was a bit like
Stevie Nicks - blonde,
708
00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:10,320
little dynamite creature,
so James managed to pull her.
709
00:46:10,320 --> 00:46:13,160
We had to get up early in the
morning to go out to the warm-up
710
00:46:13,160 --> 00:46:15,800
and he came down, dishevelled,
with this lady -
711
00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:17,640
obviously...anyway..
712
00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:20,400
"dishevelled" might be the best
way of putting it, staggered off
713
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:21,800
to the racetrack,
714
00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:23,160
won the race!
715
00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:27,640
# You can go your own way... #
716
00:46:32,240 --> 00:46:34,720
Sex - the breakfast of champions.
717
00:46:34,720 --> 00:46:38,560
In this particular case,
it worked out.
718
00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:44,480
The win in Canada gives Hunt
nine vital points
719
00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:47,360
and in the next race,
he remains on form.
720
00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:51,360
He storms through to another victory
and takes the podium.
721
00:46:51,360 --> 00:46:54,040
But Lauda is still
ahead by three points.
722
00:46:54,040 --> 00:46:55,840
After 10 months and 15 races,
723
00:46:55,840 --> 00:47:00,320
the championship has come
down to the very last Grand Prix.
724
00:47:04,240 --> 00:47:08,800
For the first time ever,
the final race is in Japan.
725
00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:11,880
Excitement about the season has
reached fever pitch -
726
00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:14,520
only three points separate
Hunt and Lauda.
727
00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:22,280
This will be the first race ever to
be broadcast live by satellite
across the world.
728
00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:25,200
Determined to win it,
so in order to do that,
729
00:47:25,200 --> 00:47:30,160
the best way for me
to do it is to the win the race here.
730
00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:31,480
But on race day,
731
00:47:31,480 --> 00:47:35,400
the weather threatens to bring
the season to a premature end.
732
00:47:35,400 --> 00:47:37,880
'It couldn't be
worse at the Fuji circuit.
733
00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:40,920
'Pouring rain, thick mist
and it's a delayed start,
734
00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:44,080
'so is the Japanese Grand Prix
on or off?'
735
00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:47,840
All the drivers got together
and said,
736
00:47:47,840 --> 00:47:49,640
"This is ridiculous."
737
00:47:49,640 --> 00:47:52,920
Not only was Niki Lauda saying that,
738
00:47:52,920 --> 00:47:55,960
James Hunt also said,
"This race should not take place."
739
00:47:55,960 --> 00:47:59,000
Being nice and wet again.
740
00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:01,480
James and Niki were both
on the Drivers' Safety Committee,
741
00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:04,280
so they were in the tower, arguing
742
00:48:04,280 --> 00:48:06,320
that the race shouldn't be held,
743
00:48:06,320 --> 00:48:08,400
so we had this direct confrontation.
744
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:11,600
I said to him, "If we don't race,
James, you can't win the World
Championship."
745
00:48:11,600 --> 00:48:14,240
"No, Jack, we can't race -
it's too dangerous."
746
00:48:14,240 --> 00:48:16,280
All very above board
747
00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:19,240
but a bit irritating when you're
trying to win the World Championship
748
00:48:19,240 --> 00:48:20,800
and you can't if you don't race.
749
00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:27,480
The race has now been
delayed for nearly two hours.
750
00:48:27,480 --> 00:48:30,000
The rain continues to fall
751
00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:33,040
but the race organisers have
reached a decision.
752
00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:35,560
The race director came in and said,
753
00:48:35,560 --> 00:48:37,160
"We have to start."
754
00:48:37,160 --> 00:48:40,640
We all looked out and said, "Excuse
me? It's the same rain as before.
755
00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:42,280
"Why?" "Because of television."
756
00:48:42,280 --> 00:48:45,520
In two hours, it will be too dark.
757
00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:49,080
And we have the satellite TV that
cost a lot of money.
758
00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:51,720
And we have a contract with
the organiser
759
00:48:51,720 --> 00:48:55,160
to at least start the race,
otherwise we lose money.
760
00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:57,320
The teams, the drivers,
I lose the money
761
00:48:57,320 --> 00:48:58,720
if we don't at least start the race.
762
00:48:58,720 --> 00:49:00,520
'But the race is on.
763
00:49:00,520 --> 00:49:02,800
'James Hunt, in his McLaren,
764
00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:04,800
'getting ready for a lap
of the circuit
765
00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:07,640
'and next, out comes Niki Lauda
766
00:49:07,640 --> 00:49:10,520
'to join the grid with
the rest of the competitors.'
767
00:49:10,520 --> 00:49:12,960
The drivers have been forced
onto the starting grid
768
00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:18,360
by the demands of the vast TV
audience they have created.
769
00:49:18,360 --> 00:49:20,280
'This, then, is the clincher -
770
00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:22,320
'the World Championship decider.
771
00:49:22,320 --> 00:49:26,120
'Three points separate the leader,
Niki Lauda, in the Ferrari,
772
00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:28,440
'and Britain's James Hunt
in the McLaren.
773
00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,800
'It's going to be a fantastic race.'
774
00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:33,080
In Britain, it's three
in the morning.
775
00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:36,520
Hunt's parents and friends
are watching the live satellite
776
00:49:36,520 --> 00:49:39,240
broadcast in a TV studio, but his
sister, Sally,
777
00:49:39,240 --> 00:49:41,880
is at home, glued to the radio.
778
00:49:41,880 --> 00:49:44,240
We switched on the radio very
early in the morning
779
00:49:44,240 --> 00:49:46,080
and I can remember walking
round the house
780
00:49:46,080 --> 00:49:48,680
with the radio clamped to my ear.
781
00:49:48,680 --> 00:49:50,520
The tension was amazing.
782
00:49:50,520 --> 00:49:52,760
'Who is going to reach
the corner first?
783
00:49:57,240 --> 00:50:00,280
'James Hunt takes
the lead in the Japanese Grand Prix
784
00:50:00,280 --> 00:50:04,240
'and fifth, that's Niki Lauda.'
785
00:50:07,600 --> 00:50:11,000
Hunt takes the lead
but for the other drivers following,
786
00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:15,160
the water spray is dangerously
reducing visibility to almost zero,
787
00:50:15,160 --> 00:50:18,480
and all the cars are skidding
and sliding in the heavy rain.
788
00:50:18,480 --> 00:50:22,520
'Brambilla going through and Hunt has
leapt round. They haven't let him
through.
789
00:50:22,520 --> 00:50:26,680
'Side-by-side, and Brambilla spins!
790
00:50:26,680 --> 00:50:29,840
'And he missed Hunt by inches.
791
00:50:29,840 --> 00:50:33,400
'And Niki Lauda has
pulled into the pits in front of us.
792
00:50:33,400 --> 00:50:36,440
'The world champion has
gone into the pits.'
793
00:50:36,440 --> 00:50:41,920
Niki stopped -
"It's too dangerous, I stop."
794
00:50:41,920 --> 00:50:46,400
'Yes, this amazing 1976
World Championship series
795
00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:48,560
'is maintaining its drama,
796
00:50:48,560 --> 00:50:51,240
'because Niki Lauda,
leading the World Championship,
797
00:50:51,240 --> 00:50:53,680
'is out of the race,
798
00:50:53,680 --> 00:50:57,000
'but, amazingly enough,
there's nothing wrong with his car.'
799
00:50:57,000 --> 00:50:59,400
I tell him,
"Niki, what you have to say
800
00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:02,040
"is that you have a technical
failure or something."
801
00:51:02,040 --> 00:51:06,400
"No," he said to me, "tell them
that it is too dangerous to race."
802
00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:12,880
When you are a normal racing driver,
and you are not affected
803
00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:15,040
by an accident,
804
00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:16,640
you have reserves.
805
00:51:16,640 --> 00:51:19,280
So that means your level
of risk-taking
806
00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:21,200
is higher
807
00:51:21,200 --> 00:51:25,000
than, like in my case,
you've just come out of death
808
00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:27,200
and had everything happening to you.
809
00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:29,760
Then, a couple of races later,
810
00:51:29,760 --> 00:51:32,400
you have to face this
more-difficult situation
811
00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:35,640
with the water and rain and risk
going up,
812
00:51:35,640 --> 00:51:39,400
and at that time, I was not prepared
to take this extra risk,
813
00:51:39,400 --> 00:51:40,800
because of the accident.
814
00:51:40,800 --> 00:51:46,080
Emotionally, for me,
it was impossible to tell Niki
815
00:51:46,080 --> 00:51:48,960
to go back to race,
816
00:51:48,960 --> 00:51:52,840
because you see his eyes were
really terrorised.
817
00:51:54,640 --> 00:51:56,680
Lauda is out of the race.
818
00:51:56,680 --> 00:51:58,920
But he will still become
World Champion
819
00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:01,960
if Hunt fails to score
enough points.
820
00:52:09,680 --> 00:52:12,920
Then the rain stopped and the water
821
00:52:12,920 --> 00:52:14,960
disappeared on the circuit
822
00:52:14,960 --> 00:52:18,800
and the circuit got better -
by coincidence, basically.
823
00:52:18,800 --> 00:52:22,480
But I was not racing
and I would still do the same today.
824
00:52:22,480 --> 00:52:25,800
Hunt must finish third or higher
to take the championship,
825
00:52:25,800 --> 00:52:30,800
but as the track dries out, his
wet-weather tyres begin to overheat.
826
00:52:30,800 --> 00:52:33,440
One of the techniques you could do
was cool them down
827
00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:37,120
by running in puddles
deliberately on the straits.
828
00:52:37,120 --> 00:52:39,120
So we put this sign out -
"cool tyres",
829
00:52:39,120 --> 00:52:44,000
but James refused to
acknowledge or do this.
830
00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:48,040
"Cool the tyres! Cool the tyres!"
And he's down the middle
831
00:52:48,040 --> 00:52:50,480
of the road, oblivious.
832
00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:55,640
Eventually,
he wore all the rubber off them,
833
00:52:55,640 --> 00:52:57,600
all the canvas, down to the air.
834
00:52:57,600 --> 00:52:59,160
And he had TWO flat tyres.
835
00:52:59,160 --> 00:53:01,160
With five laps to go,
836
00:53:01,160 --> 00:53:04,080
he came into the pits.
837
00:53:04,080 --> 00:53:07,160
We thought perhaps it would all
go wrong for James.
838
00:53:07,160 --> 00:53:10,320
'And Hunt is in the pits
in second place,
839
00:53:10,320 --> 00:53:12,840
'and if he drops below fourth,
840
00:53:12,840 --> 00:53:14,280
'if he goes out,
841
00:53:14,280 --> 00:53:16,480
'his World Championship will
be in danger.
842
00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:19,120
'What an incredible
change of fortune...'
843
00:53:19,120 --> 00:53:20,760
Because he had two flat tyres,
844
00:53:20,760 --> 00:53:22,800
we couldn't jack the car up
very well,
845
00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:25,480
so the car was too low to get
the jack underneath,
846
00:53:25,480 --> 00:53:28,480
so a mechanic and I had to pick up
the left front of the car,
847
00:53:28,480 --> 00:53:30,280
so it took us
24 seconds or something
848
00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:31,920
to change the tyres.
849
00:53:31,920 --> 00:53:33,760
'And James Hunt gets away.
850
00:53:33,760 --> 00:53:36,000
'And now he is in fifth position
851
00:53:36,000 --> 00:53:37,440
'and out of the contention.'
852
00:53:39,880 --> 00:53:42,600
With the championship
seemingly beyond his grasp, Hunt,
853
00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:45,320
the sportsman, throws caution
to the wind and makes his charge
854
00:53:45,320 --> 00:53:47,360
for the finish.
855
00:53:49,800 --> 00:53:51,720
'And James Hunt is passing Jones!
856
00:53:51,720 --> 00:53:55,280
'Hunt is fourth and Regazzoni
is out of the race,
857
00:53:55,280 --> 00:53:57,520
'so now Hunt moves up to
third position.
858
00:53:57,520 --> 00:54:00,760
'And James Hunt IS going to
win the World Championship
859
00:54:00,760 --> 00:54:04,840
'if he just keeps
going in the place he's in now.
860
00:54:04,840 --> 00:54:06,600
'And he does it.'
861
00:54:12,040 --> 00:54:13,960
James Hunt finishes third.
862
00:54:13,960 --> 00:54:17,000
James Hunt is champion of the world.
863
00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:19,440
THEY CHEER
864
00:54:21,880 --> 00:54:24,320
We were all whizzing about
sort of cheering
865
00:54:24,320 --> 00:54:27,400
and excited because James was
now World Champion.
866
00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:30,840
'I think the scenes in the McLaren
pits will speak for themselves.'
867
00:54:30,840 --> 00:54:36,280
But right now, Hunt himself has no
idea the championship is his.
868
00:54:36,280 --> 00:54:39,680
James Hunt came into the pits
869
00:54:39,680 --> 00:54:41,080
in a rage
870
00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:43,720
and as the McLaren team
gathered round,
871
00:54:43,720 --> 00:54:45,680
James got out of the car,
872
00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:49,280
pulled off his crash helmet,
started to rant and rave at them,
873
00:54:49,280 --> 00:54:51,760
and Teddy Mayer was holding
up three fingers
874
00:54:51,760 --> 00:54:54,720
saying, "James, you're third.
875
00:54:54,720 --> 00:54:58,880
"You're Champion."
And gradually, the penny dropped.
876
00:55:02,120 --> 00:55:03,760
It was an extraordinary moment.
877
00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:09,520
There was a lot of excitement and,
"Does he know yet?"
878
00:55:09,520 --> 00:55:11,680
and, "Is it true?"
879
00:55:11,680 --> 00:55:14,320
Suddenly it was true
and he was World Champion.
880
00:55:14,320 --> 00:55:18,760
Hunt has won,
despite ignoring team orders.
881
00:55:18,760 --> 00:55:20,600
I was not best pleased with him.
882
00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:22,640
You won't see me
in any of the photographs.
883
00:55:22,640 --> 00:55:24,080
I'm nowhere near him,
884
00:55:24,080 --> 00:55:26,080
cos I just want to punch him
in the mouth.
885
00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:31,480
Even though he IS
the World Champion.
886
00:55:35,040 --> 00:55:38,480
'I feel really sorry for Niki
887
00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:41,360
'in that I feel sorry for everybody
that the race had to be run
888
00:55:41,360 --> 00:55:43,560
'in such ridiculous circumstances.
889
00:55:43,560 --> 00:55:45,600
'Quite honestly,
890
00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:47,040
'I wanted to win the championship
891
00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:49,440
'and I felt I deserved to win
the championship.
892
00:55:49,440 --> 00:55:51,680
'I also felt Niki deserved
to win the championship
893
00:55:51,680 --> 00:55:54,200
'and I just wish
we could have shared it.'
894
00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:56,960
I said at the same time,
at the time there,
895
00:55:56,960 --> 00:56:01,440
if anybody should get
the championship,
896
00:56:01,440 --> 00:56:03,240
then I'm happy it's James.
897
00:56:03,240 --> 00:56:06,200
Because I liked him
898
00:56:06,200 --> 00:56:09,240
and we were not buddies
but we are at least sympathetic,
899
00:56:09,240 --> 00:56:10,960
so I think we took
care of each other
900
00:56:10,960 --> 00:56:13,040
from the heart in a very nice way,
901
00:56:13,040 --> 00:56:17,280
which in these days, the heart was
never shown in Formula One.
902
00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:21,320
MUSIC: "Young Hearts Run Free"
by Candi Staton
903
00:56:21,320 --> 00:56:23,600
'Hunt, who came into Heathrow
early today, said,
904
00:56:23,600 --> 00:56:27,640
'"I don't think I've stopped
celebrating since the race."'
905
00:56:27,640 --> 00:56:30,600
We met James coming home.
906
00:56:30,600 --> 00:56:33,280
There was James looking
slightly dazed,
907
00:56:33,280 --> 00:56:35,640
he was probably
so completely out of it.
908
00:56:35,640 --> 00:56:38,240
He'd drunk quite
a lot on the way home.
909
00:56:38,240 --> 00:56:41,840
Very tired and somewhat hung over,
thank you very much.
910
00:56:41,840 --> 00:56:44,040
What was the party like?
911
00:56:44,040 --> 00:56:47,160
It was long. But good.
912
00:56:47,160 --> 00:56:49,160
Then we all went off to a party.
913
00:56:49,160 --> 00:56:51,720
I have to say my memory's
a bit hazy after that,
914
00:56:51,720 --> 00:56:54,080
because I think I drank more
champagne for breakfast than
915
00:56:54,080 --> 00:56:55,880
I ever had before.
916
00:56:57,400 --> 00:57:00,520
Hunt and Lauda would never have
such a close race again
917
00:57:00,520 --> 00:57:04,600
but the legacy of the first
superstars of Grand Prix
918
00:57:04,600 --> 00:57:13,920
helped shape Formula One into the
global TV sport it is today.
919
00:57:13,960 --> 00:57:14,000
The excitement of that season meant
920
00:57:14,000 --> 00:57:16,080
that no self-respecting country
921
00:57:16,080 --> 00:57:19,480
could allow its television service
922
00:57:19,480 --> 00:57:22,280
not to cover Formula One properly.
923
00:57:22,280 --> 00:57:25,720
So suddenly,
Formula One was available everywhere.
924
00:57:28,360 --> 00:57:31,000
We had James
and Niki coming out of this
925
00:57:31,000 --> 00:57:34,360
as these two titans of their time.
926
00:57:34,360 --> 00:57:36,080
Who could have predicted that?
927
00:57:36,080 --> 00:57:39,320
It was just the most amazing season.
928
00:57:39,320 --> 00:57:41,880
'In life, you need a certain
amount of luck.
929
00:57:41,880 --> 00:57:44,080
'The question is how much
luck you need.
930
00:57:44,080 --> 00:57:46,280
'I think the luck is the minimum.
931
00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:49,160
'I think human beings can
do much more
932
00:57:49,160 --> 00:57:51,520
'for themselves than they think.'
933
00:57:51,520 --> 00:57:54,400
We have to remember only
the good things.
934
00:57:54,400 --> 00:57:56,600
That was a good fight.
935
00:57:56,600 --> 00:58:00,040
I don't think I thought of him
as my little brother then,
936
00:58:00,040 --> 00:58:02,640
although that's what he was.
937
00:58:02,640 --> 00:58:08,240
I just thought,
"It's James, who I love,
938
00:58:08,240 --> 00:58:12,160
"and my friend, and he's achieved
what he wants to achieve."
939
00:58:12,160 --> 00:58:13,960
That was very exciting.
940
00:58:15,880 --> 00:58:17,360
'How do you want to do it?
941
00:58:17,360 --> 00:58:19,240
'Go at a steady pace for 70 years
942
00:58:19,240 --> 00:58:21,320
'or flat-out for ten years
and then relax,
943
00:58:21,320 --> 00:58:23,000
'and I rather like doing it
that way.'
944
00:58:26,760 --> 00:58:29,080
At the time, you said,
"If you wrote this as a film script,
945
00:58:29,080 --> 00:58:31,160
"people would say,
'That's ridiculous.
946
00:58:31,160 --> 00:58:34,560
"'You've got to have something
believable. You can't have this
farcical story.'"
947
00:58:34,560 --> 00:58:36,520
But the farcical story is true.
948
00:58:57,760 --> 00:59:00,680
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
78204
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.