The Hunt–Lauda rivalry or Lauda–Hunt rivalry was a Formula 1 rivalry between British racing driver James Hunt and Austrian racing driver Niki Lauda that ran from the 1973 season up until Hunt's retirement after the 1979 season.
Widely regarded as one of the most significant rivalries in Formula 1, the Lauda–Hunt rivalry is often compared to the Prost–Senna rivalry because of its profound impact on the sport, the contrasting personalities involved, and their distinctly different driving styles.
Lauda, known by many for his meticulous and analytical approach, won the World Championship in 1975 and 1977 driving for Ferrari, notably in the Ferrari 312T.[1]
Conversely, Hunt, famously nicknamed "The Shunt" for his aggressive driving style and charismatic persona, secured the 1976 World Drivers' Championship in the McLaren M23.[2]
Their rivalry peaked in the 1976 Formula 1 season after Lauda’s near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring, during which he suffered severe burns and inhaled toxic fumes. Just six weeks after the accident, he made an astonishing comeback at the Italian Grand Prix, returning to the track with visible scars and a respirator. Despite his injuries, he managed to finish fourth in the race.[3]
The 2013 biographical sports film Rush was based on this rivalry, including their admiration for each other, though replacing their real-world friendship with a more intense (sometimes even nasty) rivalry, before ending with a warm moment and Lauda's voiceover that Hunt was "among the very few I liked, and even fewer I respected."
While they were fierce competitors on the track, Hunt readily admitted that the two were good friends from their early days "gypsy(ing) around Europe together" in Formula Three, where they became "mates, not just casual acquaintances."[4] The enduring friendship between the two continued until Hunt's death in 1993.[5]
| Driver | Championship position | Wins | Podiums | Championships | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | ||||
 Niki Lauda | 18th BRM | 4th Ferrari | 1st Ferrari | 2nd Ferrari | 1st Ferrari | 4th Brabham | 14th Brabham | 16 | 39 | 2 |
 James Hunt | 8th Hesketh | 8th Hesketh | 4th Hesketh | 1st McLaren | 5th McLaren | 13th McLaren | NC Wolf | 10 | 23 | 1 |