Kimi Raikkonen’s Tribute to James Hunt
This weekend at Monaco, Kimi Raikkonen, wore a replica of James Hunt‘s helmet to qualify for the Grand Prix. The details are here. Here’s a couple of paragraphs.
The helmet was a perfect replica of that worn by the 1976 Formula One World Champion, in the same way that Kimi himself makes quite a good replica of James Hunt.
There are lots of reasons to admire James Hunt, ranging from his “sex: breakfast of champions” overall patch to his comment to Niki Lauda in 1978: “To hell with safety. All I want to do is race.”
I remember meeting someone, who’d been at a black tie do, which James Hunt had also attended. He didn’t do black tie, so turned up in jeans and bare feet.
I should say they don’t make them like Hunt anymore. But then they can’t as he was only thirteen days younger than me and you can’t turn the clock back.
Monaco
Monaco is to me a soulless place and a small excursion from Cap Ferrat took us to the Principality. I didn’t get out of the car and took just one picture.
Monaco
It shows the barriers that are being put in place for the Monaco Grand Prix on May 16th.
I used to always want to go to the Monaco Grand Prix. But after going to Spa a couple of years ago and leaving without knowing who’d won, I would now always watch Formula One on television. Even that now is perhaps questionable, as it is so boring after the rule changes.
But Monaco will always be remembered for the victory of Stirling Moss in the Lotus 18 in 1961 against three (Yes! Three!) Ferraris. There is some film of it here on Sir Stirling’s web site.
When Metier was sold, I was advised to go somewhere like Monaco for a couple of years to avoid the tax. I didn’t! And having been a couple of times to places like Monaco, I can’t say I regret it at all.
The Anonymous Widower 