Today we rarely see drivers James Hunt on the F1 grid. The eccentric Brit was well known for his ‘playboy’ lifestyle and had a reputation for partying. But the carefree life of Hunt is just a tiny part of the story.
Hunt was a menace in the F1 grid. He was furiously fast and this allowed him to win 10 Grand Prix and the 1976 title. Hunt’s driving style also got him into many accidents and earned him the nickname, “Hunt the Shunt.”
Hunt’s iconic rivalry with Niki Lauda set the tone for the decade. Their on-track and off-track relations were captured in the 2013 Hollywood film ‘Rush,’ starring Chris Hemsworth.\
Although some of the new F1 fans might not recollect his name, he gained massive popularity during the 70s. Even 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen is a massive fan of Hunt. And the similarities between the two characters don’t surprise us!
Also Read: When a drunk Kimi Raikkonen collapsed on the feet of his fan
Kimi Raikkonen is a huge fan of James Hunt
Kimi Raikkonen was born 3 years after James Hunt clinched his 1976 World Championship. And when the Finn was just 6 months old, Hunt had already decided to retire from F1. Yet, Hunt’s legacy is already left a huge mark on the Finn.
Hunt never cared about the media and stardom. He was a character who wore overalls with the words: “S*x: breakfast of champions” engraved on them.
The 1976 Champion famously described a race win as, “9 points, $20,000 and a lot of happiness, Now can I grab that cigarette?” Yet, during the race, Hunt was ferociously fast and could achieve 14 pole positions, 35 podium finishes, and 10 race wins.
Like Hunt, Raikkonen is a reserved character. The Finn barely makes media appearances and is known to be a cool character, who prefers to be in a fast car. Something Kimi resonates with his hero Hunt.
Kimi is known to have partied for 16 days straight between races. He also took a swipe at Lewis Hamilton once comparing him with James Hunt in an Instagram story with the caption, “Evolution of Formula 1 driver.”
In 2007, he entered a snowmobile race under the name ‘James Hunt’. He would race in a motorboat competition under Hunt’s name with his friends, all dressed up as Gorillas. This time, they won the prize for the best-dressed crew.
Also Read: Kimi Raikkonen nearly joined Red Bull before signing for Ferrari in 2014
Raikkonen wore a tribute helmet for Hunt
Kimi Raikkonen has to date won the Monaco GP only once in his F1 career. But his most famous Monaco moment was when he retired from the 2006 race and headed straight for his yacht docked in the harbour.
Apart from that, another iconic moment was when the Finn wore a special helmet as a tribute to James Hunt. Upon Kimi’s F1 return, the Finn adored Hunt’s iconic black helmet livery for the 2012 and 2013 Monaco GP.
When asked about the tribute, Raikkonen stated, “It’s not for any particular reason.” He added, “I just like him and the kind of racing there was in the past.”
Raikkonen liked the black design which went along with his Lotus overalls. The Finn claimed there wasn’t anything more than that. But we beg to differ!
