BOOKS
The fantasy adventure that really happened
Hesketh arrived to the pop of champagne corks, riling the regulars, until… Gordon Cruickshank learns the ‘bear’ facts
Prince Philip mixes with the bad boys of F1 at the 1975 British Grand Prix.
From left: Lord Hesketh, James Hunt and Bubbles Horsley.
BERNARD CAHIER/GETTY IMAGES, ALAMY
Couldn’t make it up? Of course you could, if you were writing an overblown novel: wealthy aristocrat backer, dashing driver coming from nowhere, yachts, champagne, parties, and then beating established names with a car they built themselves in the stables of a stately home. No one would really believe it – but it happened.
Superbears tells that story, backed by input from Lord Hesketh, co-conspirator Bubbles Horsley and many another, and it’s a great tale. Bunch of playboys messing with our sport, was the Establishment view and of some of the press too, until the team began to show results.