Final laps
In the closing phases, Hunt appeared poised for a relatively straightforward win. But as the rain gradually subsided and the track began to dry, his fortunes turned on lap 62. He lost positions due to tyre degradation, slipping behind Depailler and Andretti. However, he wasn’t the only driver, as Depailler encountered a similar tyre problem.

Hunt was forced to pit, relinquishing his lead and dropping to fifth. With fresh tyres, Hunt set off after Depailler, Alan Jones, and Clay Regazzoni. On the 70th lap, Depailler overtook Jones and Regazzoni and took the lead. Not to be outdone, Hunt replicated the feat on the following lap, passing both drivers and securing the championship. In a moment of brief confusion, the unofficial results initially placed him in fifth, which was swiftly rectified to confirm his third-place finish.

Andretti’s race win marked his second win in F1 after an incredible five-year gap since his first at the 1971 South African Grand Prix.

James Hunt’s first F1 Drivers’ World Championship
James Hunt’s first Formula One Drivers’ World Championship in 1976 would go on to define his legacy as one of F1’s most charismatic and iconic figures.

Born on August 29, 1947, in Belmont, England, James Simon Wallis Hunt exhibited a passion for racing early on. He began his career in motorsport in the late 1960s, climbing the ranks from lower formulae to eventually reaching Formula One.

Hunt’s journey to the championship was not without obstacles. He made his Formula One debut with the Hesketh Racing team in 1973, but his career reached its peak in 1976. The 1976 Formula One season was characterised by the intense rivalry between Hunt and Austrian driver Niki Lauda, who raced for Ferrari. His performance in the final race of the season saw him overcome tyre issues, a series of pit stops, and terrible weather conditions to finish third. The 1976 championship made James Hunt a legend in the sport, with his electrifying driving style and larger-than-life personality endearing him to fans worldwide.

Sadly, Hunt’s reign as the F1 Champion was short-lived. He failed to defend his title in the following season, and the ’76 title was the only one he claimed.
1976 Japanese Grand Prix Race Results
POS NO DRIVER CAR LAPS TIME/RETIRED PTS
1 5 Mario Andretti Lotus Ford 73 1:43:58.860 9
2 4 Patrick Depailler Tyrrell Ford 72 +1 lap 6
3 11 James Hunt McLaren Ford 72 +1 lap 4
4 19 Alan Jones Surtees Ford 72 +1 lap 3
5 2 Clay Regazzoni Ferrari 72 +1 lap 2
6 6 Gunnar Nilsson Lotus Ford 72 +1 lap 1
7 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier Matra 72 +1 lap 0
8 24 Harald Ertl Hesketh Ford 72 +1 lap 0
9 18 Noritake Takahara Surtees Ford 70 +3 laps 0
10 17 Jean-Pierre Jarier Shadow Ford 69 +4 laps 0
11 51 Masahiro Hasemi Kojima Ford 66 +7 laps 0
NC 3 Jody Scheckter Tyrrell Ford 58 DNF 0
NC 21 Hans Binder Wolf-Williams 49 DNF 0
NC 16 Tom Pryce Shadow Ford 46 DNF 0
NC 9 Vittorio Brambilla March Ford 38 DNF 0
NC 34 Hans-Joachim Stuck March Ford 37 DNF 0
NC 12 Jochen Mass McLaren Ford 35 DNF 0
NC 28 John Watson Penske Ford 33 DNF 0
NC 52 Kazuyoshi Hoshino Tyrrell Ford 27 DNF 0
NC 20 Arturo Merzario Wolf-Williams 23 DNF 0
NC 30 Emerson Fittipaldi Fittipaldi Ford 9 DNF 0
NC 8 Carlos Pace Brabham Alfa Romeo 7 DNF 0
NC 1 Niki Lauda Ferrari 2 DNF 0
NC 7 Larry Perkins Brabham Alfa Romeo 1 DNF 0
NC 10 Ronnie Peterson March Ford 0 DNF