Hunt attracted a huge and fervent following despite (or perhaps because ) he had 'risen without trace' to all except the more knowledgeable racegoer. I was at Brands in 1976 and the atmosphere was feral , not something I have ever felt since, even during peak ..ahem ... Mansell Mania . I didn't like it at all , it didn't seem to belong to my sport at all - and I was a Lauda and Ferrari man at heart.
Hunt had an indefinable aura which so many found irresistible , especially when combined with the iconoclasm and youth of the Hesketh team . I also saw Hunt win his first F1 race (Silverstone Intl Trophy ) and was genuinely delighted. But as time went on I grew disenchanted with the whole Hesketh schtick - maybe it's a chippy Yorkshireman thing but toffs behaving badly whilst spending inherited cash is not an endearing sight...
Hunt himself; as a driver was peerless on his day - one of the most aggressive drivers I have ever seen , but not one to resort to Schumacher or Senna antics . As a man - if it matters - I found his personality less attractive . That public school insouciance and effortless superiority never endeared himself to me , even if age mellowed him hugely .
As for drivers behaving badly Mr Roebuck might have found the likes of Ines Ireland;s antics amusing but that, I suspect, was more about starry eyed admiration for Ireland the driver . Had the person responsible been an effing and blinding scouser I suspect Mr Roebuck might have taken a different view . See also Berger throwing Senna's briefcase out of a helicopter, replacing Senna's passport picture with porn - it's not exactly Oscar Wilde is it ?
