Hunt crash to happen again!

The Hollywood film being made about the battle between Niki Lauda and James Hunt in the 1970s is set to recreate one of the most famous 1-litre Formula 3 races of the era.

Oscar-winning director Ron Howard plans to re-live the Daily Express Trophy at Crystal Palace in October 1970, which ended with a last-corner shunt that eliminated Hunt (Lotus 59) and Dave Morgan (March 703). Featured in the BBC’s 100 Greatest Sporting Moments series, the race was notorious for the fight that ensued when Hunt remonstrated with Morgan following the accident. Dave Walker won the race in his Gold Leaf Lotus 59.

The filming will take place over four days at two UK venues next spring and the producers are searching for up to 25 1-litre F3 screamers to take part. F3 cars being sought include Lotus 59 and 59A, Brabham BT28 and BT15, March 703, Chevron B15 and B17, Nemo 1, Dastle Mk9 and McNamara Mk3. All were represented on the 1970 Crystal Palace grid.

“We are not doing an exact recreation of this race but it gives a general idea on the types of cars we need and we’d like to rent about 20 of them,” said Jim Hajicosta of Rush Films Ltd. “We’re also still looking for Formula 1 cars from that period. You never know what people have got gathering dust in their garages.”

Earlier in the summer some trial F1 footage was filmed on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the scene of Lauda’s fiery 1976 accident.