Niki Lauda vs James Hunt

The making of an A-list Formula 1 blockbuster, from the race tracks of 1976 to cinema’s silver screen

It was the rivalry that burst Grand Prix racing into the feverish hype of the modern era. Out of the blue, the scruffy, charming, public school rogue who refused to conform found himself in Britain’s best Formula 1 team, pitched into a battle with a man every bit as uncompromising, against a ruthless team that craved victory at any cost. The drivers were good friends, but that mutual respect and affection would be stretched by the pulsating events of a season that captivated the world and brought new levels of attention to a sport once peripheral, now catapulted into the mainstream. The best Hollywood scriptwriters couldn’t have bettered 1976 – but in 2013, that hasn’t stopped them trying. The forthcoming Rush looks set to become the most significant motor racing movie since Le Mans.

In the following 22 pages, we explore the truth – and fresh fiction – of a story that is once more poised to captivate the world.