Rush Page #3

to take a call.

He'll be back shortly.

He only wanted to show me

his pride and joy.

Rhymes with "boy", if you ask me.

And "toy".

God, it's so flimsy

for something that costs so much.

There's no comfort,

no protection, nothing.

No, it's just a little coffin, really.

Surrounded by high-octane fuel in here.

Being driven round 170 miles per hour.

To all intents and purposes,

this thing's a bomb on wheels.

You're James, aren't you?

Yes.

You fit the description.

Is that right?

Suzy. Friend of Alex's.

Yeah, yeah. I know exactly.

What was the description?

Mostly positive,

in terms of appearance.

Negative only in terms of character.

I've been told to avoid you.

BY Whom?

Alexander. He says you're a bad boy.

Alexander doesn't know

what he's talking about.

I was. I'm not any more.

The new me is very professional.

Early to bed, early to rise.

- All very dull.

- Hmm.

But according to the team,

"The best way to

keep beating the goose-stepper."

Is that what you were doing

when I came in?

Yes, visualisation techniques,

memorising the circuit,

in this case Monaco, which is up next.

Personally, I've always been a great

believer in getting there on the day,

putting my foot down

and playing chicken with everyone else.

But they don't want me

doing that any more.

They want my body like a temple

and my mind like a monk.

And what about your soul, your heart?

Well, they've got ideas about that, too.

They want me to stop messing around,

settle down,

get married

with the next nice girl I meet.

They think it would be good for me.

Hmm. What do you think?

It sounds f***ing awful.

But since they're right

about most things,

- they're probably right about that, too.

- Hmm.

You don't fancy getting married, do you?

Suzy.

Bravo!

Hey, hey, hey!

- What's going on with him?

- Nothing. Nothing.

Didn't want to ruin your day.

It's... It's the Kraut.

What about him?

He's just been signed by Ferrari.

You're kidding me?

Jesus. How did that happen?

Did he buy his way in there, too?

Well, the old man took Regazzoni back

and he insisted on it, apparently.

He says that Niki's a genius

setting up the cars.

It's terrible. Drives like a pig.

- Oh, you can't say that.

- Why not?

- It's a Ferrari!

- It's a shitbox.

It understeers like crazy and

the weight distribution is a disaster.

It's amazing, all these facilities

and you make a piece of crap like this.

Uh!

"Ferrari family."

"Our good friend Clay Regazzoni."

You are family and friend

to the commendatore as long as you win.

The minute you don't, ciao, ciao.

I totally understand. It's business.

I would do the same.

But it isn't

just business, is it? What we do.

It's passion, love.

Which is why we are prepared

to risk our lives for it.

Not me.

If I had more talent and could earn

better money with something else,

I would.

How do you know you will

make money here? You haven't yet.

Not yet, but I will.

If you can, I can.

You know, are you ever not an a**hole?

- Why am I an a**hole?

- Well...

You know, by now

I'm both quicker than you

and better at setting up the car.

You can't deal with it,

so you're the a**hole.

Screw you.

I brought you along today because

you seem like a lonely kind of guy.

I thought if I introduced you

to some nice people,

that could rub off on you.

Forget it. Make your own friends.

Come on, Clay. I'm sorry.

Are you leaving?

Yes.

Can you give me a lift

to the nearest town,

anywhere with a train station?

Sure. Trento's half an hour's drive.

Get in.

J1 Been another blue day

without you, girl

J1 Been another sad summer song

J1 I been thinking about you, girl,

all night long

What are you doing?

You hear that noise when you accelerate?

- No.

- Your fan belt is loose.

My What?

And when you brake,

your foot goes all the way down,

which means there's air in the system.

- Anything else?

- No.

Apart from

the rear brakes are worn out,

the front right tyre's a bit soft,

which explains

why you're weaving so much.

Hmm. How can you tell?

- My ass.

- Sorry?

God gave me an okay mind,

but a really good ass,

which can feel everything in a car.

You don't know what

you're talking about. This car is fine.

- I just had a service a week ago.

- Not a good one.

Yes, a very good one, very expensive.

This car is as good as new. Relax.

Not in a hurry, are you?

No. As long as I'm back

in Maranello Monday morning.

Ja.

- Marlene.

- Niki.

Mi scusi... Tu sei Niki Lauda?

Yes.

- Actually, we do, yeah.

- Okay.

It's my honour, Niki, please.

- Thank you.

- My car is your car.

On one condition, though.

It's a piece of sh*t. It's dog sh*t.

But if you drive it,

you make my life, Niki, eh?

- Niki Lauda!

- Niki Lauda, Niki Lauda!

Will someone please tell me

what's going on?

Who are you? Should I know you?

What, you don't know?

He's Niki Lauda, Formula 1 driver,

and he just signed with Ferrari.

- Him?

- Yes.

- Impossible.

- Why?

Well, you know, Formula 1 drivers,

they have long hair, are sexy,

their shirts are open to here.

- Thank you.

- Yes.

Anyway, look at the way he's driving,

like an old man.

There's no need to drive fast.

It just increases

the percentage of risk.

We're not in a hurry.

I'm not being paid.

Right now,

with zero incentive or reward,

why would I drive fast?

Because I'm asking you to.

Ja.

This is an incredible battle

between Niki Lauda in the red Ferrari

and James Hunt in the white Hesketh.

...the challenge of Niki Lauda...

Lauda attacking Hunt.

Lauda gets through on the inside.

Goes wide at the exit.

Hunt is past again.

Once more

Lauda tries to sneak up the inside.

They're absolutely side by side,

wheel to wheel.

So evenly matched. Fantastic battle

between these two great drivers.

Hunt is now ahead once more.

But Lauda's coming back again now.

Lauda once more sneaks up the inside.

And again he runs wide.

Again the Hesketh...

- Suzy, we're ready, come on.

- Just... Just one second.

- Can we go, yeah?

- Okay, yeah.

We're in the closing laps

of this race here at Watkins Glen.

They come down the hill.

And Hunt's got a problem!

Hunt pulls across to the left.

Lauda goes ahead on his own.

A sad end to a wonderful battle.

Hunt pushing off the marshal.

The chequered ag

is waiting for Lauda and for Ferrari.

The title going to Niki Lauda,

who wins the race,

who wins the World Championship.

- Congratulations.

- Thank you.

Marlene.

With a car like that, the rest of us

never really stood a chance, did we?

Maybe the fact the car is so good

has something to do with me.

Come on, Niki. You're in a Ferrari.

I'm in a Hesketh.

Equal terms,

the way it was in Formula 3,

- I'd beat you and you know it.

- Never.

You might win one race, maybe two,

because you're aggressive.

But in the long run, over the course

of a season, no chance.

Right. Why's that?

Because to be a champion,

it takes more than just being quick.

- It's the whole picture.

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