Daily Express F3 Trophy Final - Crystal Palace October 1970

Recorded from the TV on VHS many years ago "100 Greatest Sporting Moments". Fantastic F3 race from the old Crystal Palace circuit featuring a titanic battle between James Hunt, David Morgan, Mike Beuttler, Gerry Birrell and Tony Trimmer. The irrepressible Murray Walker provides the commentary.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• historic
• james
• hunt
• F3
• motorsport
• 1970
• Trophy
• Race
• Gerry
• Birrell
• David
• Morgan
• Mike
• Beuttler

[MrJulian1959]

In reply to your comment about Tony Rubython's recent book, you will find that he is a journalist who never lets a fact get in the way of a good story. As you have noted in the footage, James was running on adrenalin and shoved him, not quite as bad as has been made out! Mr. Rubython has previously been editor on various magazines including one owned by Bernie Ecclestone who fired him for his rather controversial form of journalism.

[TheMightyAntar]

In the defence of Mr Rubython, he was repeating the "facts" as they were remembered by many motoring writers in the years since the incident including Hunt himself on at least one occasion I recall. He certainly threw a punch on other occasions.

[MrJulian1959]

I don't know if anyone has noticed but right at the end, James Hunt (yes the future 1976 World Champion) crashes with Dave Morgan on the finishing straight, gets out of his car and punches him to the ground. He did the same thing with a marshal at the Canadian Grand Prix!!

[pmay222]

proper car racing...they ACTUALLY PASS ON THE TRACK...!

[thatconsultantbloke]

I'm with MrJulian1959 on this one. Tom Rubython should have got his facts right, but Shunt is riddled with errors. How long would it have taken to find this film and check what really happened? I was there spectating on the banked terrace opposite the pit entrance and saw the whole thing. In my opinion it was a racing accident and no more than that. As for "the punch"; well watch and judge for yourself.

[LhodaKblerz]

I saw this race live on tv. You just knew something was going to happen. One of the worst cases of 'cutting to the winner as he crosses the line' seen on tv! I was a 13yr old paddock marshall at Croft Autodrome in those fantastic days. The 1L screamers were the most beautiful racing cars ever. I remember that whenever I opened the paddock gate to let the F3 cars out onto the track, James Hunt would give me a little wave. Being an impressionable teenager, he became my 'hero'.

[Quadrant14]

I only just found out about Dave Walker from my own country of Australia, this is great racing, that Morgan move was brilliant too!

[CM1032]

Kobayashi and Alesi would have loved that move from Dave Morgan at 6:01, I didn't think he would get through that without contact, wonderful.

[tstanb]

@MrJulian1959 This is disappointing - in Tony Rubethon's recent biography, he quite clearly states that Hunt punches Morgan to the ground and knocks him out cold. The TV cameras show Hunt knocking Morgan to the ground, sure but also show quite clearly Morgan immediately getting back up again to have a go at Hunt in retaliation. Rubethon has gone to great lengths to assume his book is the genuine true account of Hunt's life and quite clearly it isn't. :(

[tstanb]

@MrJulian1959 just read about this in the latest biog. great stuff!