9th, Niki Lauda's Sacrifice & James Hunt's Triumph: Inside the Dramatic 1976 Japanese GP
The first World Championship Grand Prix to be run in Japan was the final act in one of the most tumultuous seasons on record. On the surface it seemed simple enough: Lauda, with 68 points, looked to be favourite to win the title from Hunt, who had 65.
Then you considered that in July, after the British Grand Prix, Niki had led James 58 to 35, that in August he had been given the Last Rites after a fearful accident at the Nürburgring, that in September – only six weeks later – he had returned at Monza, finishing fourth… Now, though, it was October, and Hunt was on a roll, having won four of the last six races.
The championship contenders qualified second and third at Fuji, behind Andretti, but so foul was the weather on race day that postponement looked inevitable. “The track was flooded,” said Lauda, “and we all said, ‘We cannot race’. Then, at four o’clock, Bernie [Ecclestone] and the race director said, ‘Guys, we’re going to start because the whole thing is televised and soon it will be dark.’”