“Memories of James Hunt” (Christopher Hilton, 2006)

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Memories of James Hunt is a fine accompaniment to Gerald Donaldson’s accomplished biography James Hunt – but by no means a replacement for it.

Prolific Formula One writer Christopher Hilton presents hundreds of quotes and 150 photographs of the 1976 World Championship in a slender, square, hardback book. It pays suitable homage to Hunt’s legendary womanising tendencies and fondness for social excess.

But it also brings out the respect Hunt’s peers had for his formidable natural talent, as well as the frustrations of those who felt he didn’t do enough to tease it out, and the sympathies of those who truly understood what he meant when he said he retired because he ‘got scared’.

This is not a one-dimensional book in terms of the vision of Hunt it portrays. But although it does what it does very well it is fairly limited by the very nature of what it sets out to do rather like Hilton’s prior production, Memories of Ayrton Senna.

It does, however, bring a too-often-overlooked British champion into full colour with a wealth of illuminating recollections and anecdotes. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Published by Haynes

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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