Rush Page #4

- Oh.

You're just a charger and a party guy.

That's why everybody likes you.

Try saying that

and tell me you're not jealous.

Why would I be jealous? Think about it.

All that affection, all those smiles

- is a sign of disrespect.

- Oh.

They don't fear you.

Whereas compare that to me.

Yes, compared to you, whom no one likes.

- Right.

- Not even his own teammates.

Right. Because I'm a serious guy.

I go to bed early,

I look after myself, look after my car.

- Yes, you're very well-behaved.

- Go to work, kick ass.

And then, after the race,

I go home instead of going to bars

and talk all this bullshit

with all these a**holes.

Arseholes?

You should go home more often, too.

I heard you got married.

Yes, I did.

So where is she, this mysterious wife?

- In New York, working.

- Oh.

You know,

I've never seen you with her once.

No?

Well, maybe that's because

you're always at home,

on your own, looking after yourself,

being a good little boy.

Take a drink on me, James.

Thank you, Niki. I might just have two.

Right, Bubbles,

whatever it takes to beat

that prick next year, just say it.

Your word is my command.

There are no lengths

to which I will not go. I mean it.

What the hell's going on?

Where is everybody? What's the matter?

Do you know what the date is today?

Yes, it's November, the 14th. Why?

Do you have any idea

of the significance of that date?

I don't know.

Time to start killing pheasants?

Actually, it's the deadline

for securing sponsorship

for the forthcoming Formula 1 season.

Yes?

Which elapsed at midnight last night,

and we didn't attract any.

Well, so?

We aren't looking for sponsorship.

Like you said, condoms and cigarettes,

vulgar, right?

Right.

Except we are, or were.

I've made something of a miscalculation.

The economics, Formula 1,

realities thereof.

It turns out,

not like the lower divisions at all.

What are you saying?

I'm saying it's over, Superstar.

The banks have stepped in,

started laying everyone off.

Probably have to sell this place.

Oh, Christ.

I need a drive, Pete.

I need you to find me a drive.

I mean, what about Lotus?

You don't wanna know.

- Actually, I do.

- Okay. Uh...

They felt your reputation preceded you.

And what does that mean?

It's my other line.

Look, I'll get back to you.

Peter Hunt.

F***.

Don't worry. Something will turn up.

Doubt that will help in the meantime.

Why don't we go away at the weekend?

Skiing. Before I go back to New York.

Talk to me, James.

Don't make a stranger of me.

You know, Suzy,

only a stranger would invite me skiing

when they know

I haven't got a f***ing drive.

I can't watch this.

What were you hoping for anyway?

A well-adjusted knight

in shining armour?

No danger of that.

- Let me give you some advice.

- I'm all ears.

Don't go to men who are willing

to kill themselves driving in circles

- looking for normality.

- I never expected normality.

God knows I walked into this

with my eyes open.

I just hoped I'd married someone

who was half as impressive

on the inside as he is on the outside.

At least there's something

behind the facade.

- Oh, James.

- F*** off to New York, dear.

There must be a moisturiser

or an eye shadow somewhere

that needs your vapid mush to flog it.

- Hello?

- Hi, James.

It's Peter. Something's up at McLaren.

- What have you heard?

- Nothing. Why?

I heard Emerson's off.

He's dumped them in it.

Jesus. Get me in there, Pete.

Say anything, just get me in that room.

I'll come straight to the point.

- Our esteemed lead driver...

- Fitti-f***ing-paldi.

...has ditched us for another team

at the last minute.

- Coper-f***ing-sucar.

- And we need a replacement.

ASA-f***ing-P.

Fortunately, a few hands

have already gone up, good people.

- Jacky Ickx.

- I'm quicker than Jacky.

- But he's consistent, dependable.

- A grown-up.

Right, and will he go for that gap

when no one else will?

Will he put his life on the line

the day that it really matters?

The sponsors like him.

What do you want,

a driver or a brush salesman?

- We wanna be successful.

- Yes, so do I.

But that means beating Niki Lauda,

not being a show pony for sponsors.

I heard about this thing with Niki.

Everyone has.

- You really think you can beat him?

- I'd beat him in a McLaren.

It's the only car out there

as quick as the Ferrari.

Which is why I'm here, begging.

Look, I'll do whatever you ask.

I'll put on a tie,

I'll smile for sponsors,

say the right things.

I can beat this guy, trust me.

Just give me the drive.

Yeah.

Yeah, he can be a loose cannon.

And, yeah, he will drive you all mad,

but in terms of raw talent

and right stuff,

there is no better driver in the world.

He's the real thing, Teddy.

- He's what we all came into this for.

- Mmm.

Nine days out of ten

you'll be pulling your hair out,

but on that tenth day,

James will be unbeatable.

And that is the day you will wish

you had him in your car.

You will never win the championship

with Jacky Ickx.

You just might with James.

Welcome to Sao Paulo, Brazil,

and the Interlagos circuit

for the first race

in the 1976 Formula 1 season,

where the main news is that James Hunt

has qualified fastest,

beating Niki Lauda's Ferrari

to pole position

by just two hundredths of a second.

New car.

- I noticed.

- Pole position.

I noticed that, too.

Level playing field now,

my ratty little friend.

Yeah. Let's see where we are

after lap one.

Let's see where we are

in five races' time.

Hunt has the pit lane pole position,

which should give him the best chance

of outdragging Lauda's Ferrari.

If ever there was a doubt about

whether Lauda had

a serious challenger to this season,

Hunt and his McLaren

have certainly given us the answer.

Here in South Africa,

James Hunt is determined to make amends

after that disastrous retirement

in Brazil.

But it's Lauda who takes the ag

here at Kyalami.

James Hunt comes home second

to confirm his championship

challenge at last

and score his first points

of the season.

That wind you can feel

is me breathing down your neck.

Next time I'll have you.

We'll see in Spain.

James Hunt finally takes

his first victory of the season

here in Spain, after a brilliant drive.

It was only a matter of time.

Luca, don't you think it's time

to tell them?

- It's too wide.

- Disqualified.

- What?

- You're disqualified.

How can we be disqualified?

- 1.5 centimetres.

- It's the same car.

Giustissimo.

You f***ing...

...McLaren M23

has proved very controversial here.

Just make it narrower. I don't care how.

New rear suspension.

New wishbones.

I wanna make sure

this thing is legal, no doubts.

Well, then we'd better move the

oil coolers back to the old position.

With the oil coolers back, the

wing brackets need to be changed, too.

F***.

What the f***

d'you think we're doing?

And with Hunt disqualified

from his Spain win,

his championship year is not going well.

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