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that, early in this race,

we believed he'd lost.

Lauda's now lapping faster than

Reutemann and closing the gap ahead.

Lauda closing on Carlos Reutemann,

the man called in to be his replacement

in the Ferrari team.

And there's James Hunt's McLaren,

smoking stationary

by the side of the road.

This is bad news for Hunt's

championship hopes.

It's Ronnie Peterson

who comes home the winner here at Monza.

But all eyes are on the man

who finishes a brilliant fourth,

Niki Lauda!

What a race, what a man,

what a season.

With a fourth-place finish

and three priceless points,

it means that Niki Lauda

is a major step closer

to retaining the World Championship.

So, the long, gruelling

and incredibly dramatic season

comes down to this final race in Japan

in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

Niki Lauda goes into

this deciding race at Fuji

just three points ahead of James Hunt.

Hunt knowing he must beat the Austrian

fair and square to take the title.

James, do you think

you can cope with the pressure?

Well, I've never really understood

what that means. I love my job.

I love competing. I love racing.

Maybe you should ask Niki.

He's the World Champion.

He's got everything to lose.

Mr Lauda,

are you feeling pressure?

Do I look like I'm feeling pressure?

I am World Champion, and on the verge

to become World Champion again.

Hunt now has the opportunity to win,

but it's not so easy

to become a champion.

You have to really believe it

to make it possible.

James, is there anything

you'd like to add?

If Niki is being tricky and getting

a kicky out of playing mind games...

...then fine, I'm flattered.

But the fact is, momentum is with me.

I've never felt better.

And I fully expect the next

press conference we will have

will be with me as World Champion.

How will you cope

with the weather, bad conditions?

Intermittent heavy rain

has been forecast here at Fuji today,

along with strong winds

and occasional fog

rolling in from the mountain.

And so, with today's

Japanese Grand Prix to come,

Lauda's lead a mere three points.

What a way to finish the season.

Hunt or Lauda?

Well, the final chapter will unfold when

we bring you extended coverage...

They've got to cancel the race.

It's lethal out there.

The race is going ahead.

Television rights have been sold

all around the world.

The showdown between you and Niki

is all anyone wants to see.

With heavy rain

continuing to fall here at Fuji,

a decision has finally been made.

The 1976 Japanese Grand Prix

will go ahead.

AH drivers

to your cars, please.

Five minutes to go.

- All right?

- All right.

- Hold still.

- What the hell are you doing?

To let the condensation out.

- It'll also let the water in.

- Not if you're leading.

Trust me,

this race is all about the start.

- Need a hand here?

- Yeah, hold it, Teddy.

Okay, start the bastard.

Good luck, kid.

Good luck, James.

Thirty seconds to go.

Electric tension here at Fuji.

80,000 bedraggled race fans and

the racing grudge match of the decade.

And there's Mario Andretti

in pole position,

James Hunt alongside him.

On Row 2 of the grid,

there is Niki Lauda,

and on Row 3 of the grid,

Jody Scheckter from South Africa

in the six-wheel Tyrrell.

Behind him,

the rest of the 25-car field.

There's the flag, and finally

the Japanese Grand Prix is underway!

In these conditions,

it must be almost impossible to drive

a 450-horsepower car.

And it's Andretti who has the lead,

but Hunt is attacking.

Hunt's going round

the outside of Andretti.

Niki Lauda following him through.

Hunt leads into the first right-hander.

Hunt comes through

to complete his first lap,

leading the field.

At least he has clear vision

in front of him.

Niki Lauda, behind him,

eating his spray.

Lauda is slowing.

Niki Lauda is bringing

the Ferrari number one into the pit.

Some sort of problem, we can't

imagine what, so early in the race.

What's wrong with the car?

What's wrong with the car?

Niki, what's wrong with the car?

Nothing. Car's perfect.

- What are you doing?

- I'm stopping.

His mechanics

are asking what the problem is.

But wait!

Niki Lauda's getting out of the car!

This is sensational!

The reigning World Champion,

Niki Lauda, is out of this race.

It's too dangerous.

Niki, you want me to say there was

a problem with the car, for the media?

No.

Tell them the truth.

Now, what is happening?

They're talking to the team manager.

Lauda explaining something.

With Lauda out, James Hunt

knows he has to finish this race

in third place or higher

to be World Champion.

But the job's not done yet

for James Hunt.

In these dreadful conditions,

he still has to go the distance.

Fifteen laps to go here at Fuji.

James Hunt or Niki Lauda?

This extraordinary season

is not over yet.

In this treacherous final round,

can James Hunt hang on?

And the scoreboard tells a story.

Lap 58. Hunt in the lead.

Oh, God, his tyres, they're blistering.

Brambilla very close behind now,

closing on him all the time now.

And he's trying to drive

inside James Hunt.

Hunt cuts across the orange March nose.

Hunt's not having that at all.

And he's spinning.

He missed Hunt there, but almost

took James Hunt out of the race

and out of the world championship.

Now we find Mario Andretti

closing on James Hunt.

Mario Andretti's going past Hunt!

Hunt is slowing. James Hunt

seems to have a problem.

Despite these wet conditions,

these wet-weather tyres

do wear extremely fast.

Hunt's tyres, they've gone.

Hunt nursing his car

back to the pit stop.

That back marker's going past Hunt.

Look at that left front tyre...

Right front tyre, sorry.

No tread on it at all.

And the other one is flat.

Let's go! Let's go!

Okay? When did you break

your gear lever?

Nine or ten laps ago.

- Alastair, we need to lift it.

- Come on!

- At the front.

- Let's go.

Regazzoni's Ferrari

and Jacques Lafitte in the Ligier

have gone ahead.

Come on, hurry!

You did it.

You're going to be World Champion!

Not yet.

A few laps ago, James Hunt

was looking like champion elect.

Now it looks as though

it's all gone wrong for him.

- James.

- Come on!

- Listen.

- What?

Just go easy out there.

- What are you saying?

- I'm saying look after yourself.

We want you back in one piece.

You're too far back. There's

too many drivers in front of you.

- There's always next year.

- So that's it? It's over?

Clear!

James.

- Clear!

- F*** it!

James Hunt rejoins the race

in sixth position.

There are four laps left to go.

Surely no way back for the Brit now.

Concentrate, Superstar.

Just brings it back under control.

Sliding the McLaren

on the very edge there.

Hunt's M23

twitching this way and that

under braking.

And he almost loses it right there.

Hunt on the tail

of Jacques Lafitte in the blue Ligier.

Oh, don't do it, James.

He's inches away

from the pit wall.

He's inches away from the Ligier.

James Hunt has made up another place,

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