Who did you admire more, Hunt or Lauda?

I saw an interview back when the movie came out where I think Brühl said that the special thing about these two characters, and these two people, is that they are unabashedly and unapologetically their true selves. I find that to be really admirable in both of them. I found both of them to be quite annoying at times, but they both had legitimate reasons for the way they lived their lives both on and off the track, and I respect that.

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This is your life, and it is ending one minute at a time

I don't know how anyone can admire Hunt. He killed himself with his party hardy lifestyle and only beat Lauda because the latter almost died. The fact that Lauda resumed racing so quickly after the accident and actually came close to winning is astonishing. I'm absolutely sure Hunt wouldn't have been able to do that.

Like Hunt, totally identify with Lauda. Because I'm a clever nerd who hasn't always had the world's greatest social skills, how could I not identify with Lauda?

It is a good movie, and one of the good things about it is you like Hunt from the start, because who wouldn't like a likeable guy played by super-likeable Chris Hemsworth? But Lauda gets more and more likeable as the movie goes on, he starts out a jealous, ambitious, dick, but as he's put through his trial by fire he shows courage and other admirable qualities, and by the end you're really rooting for him. Or at least I was.

Lauda, hands down, because of my love for Formula 1. He contributed far more to the sport. He’s a 3-time World Champion, and would have been a 4-time if not for the races he missed while in hospital. He’s been a FEROCIOUS advocate for driver safety, in contradistinction to the pre-race dope-toking, bubbly-gargling Hunt. To be fair, I seriously doubt that Hunt was ever under the influence when driving in F1, but his cavalier attitude had no place in any kind of racing, let alone in F2. People got killed in F2. I agree with the OP that I would not want to be either man. I’d like to be an amalgam of them both: a fun-loving, family-loving, charming speed demon who’s competitive as hell and also a complete gentleman on and off the track. I know of such a man. He was adored by the fans, rowed for the London Rowing Club, played tennis with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, won 2 F1 World Championships AND won the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of LeMans (a feat no one else has yet equalled and which Mario Andretti has called the pinnacle of achievement in Motorsport), and was the first World Champion to have his son become World Champion. His name was Graham Hill. As you’ve no doubt guessed, he’s one of my heroes.

PS Strat, Otter, thank you for posting here. I think you’ve both picked different ways of praising Ron Howard as a director and storyteller. He pits an enormously charming, handsome, sexy, relaxed Hunt against a driven, rigid, no-social-skills-having, humorless dildo—and we wind up rooting for the dildo! I don’t know about either of you, but I felt really sad for Niki when his Ferrari teammate, Clay Riggazoni, took him to the party
and then became exasperated with Lauda’s lack of tact and told him to go away. I think it was clear that Niki was not cruel, he just didn’t know any better. I think the acting in this film was excellent. I am glad that you both enjoyed it. Both of you have helped me better to see the wide appeal of this movie. Thank you. I’m so glad that it’s not just me and other F1 wonks.

Niki is still very active in F1. He is the Head Advisor to the Mercedes-Benz F1 team, which is poised to win its fourth consecutive World Constructor’s (most points scored by a team of 2 cars) and Driver’s (most points scored by a single driver) Championship. Imagine: a German team having a Austrian advisor! Maybe the guy is, you know, good.

In the end, I can't admire either of them. Hunt killed himself from the inside out and Lauda killed himself from the outside in.

Lauda all the way! I both admire him more, and identify with him more.

I identify with him more because face it, the guy was a huge nerd. Analytical, intelligent, technical, calculating odds where others relied on sheer testosterone. My kinda guy.

And I admire him because he was willing to pull over and quit a championship race when he thought the conditions were too dangerous, which is a big violation of the Guy Code. It takes guts to break the Guy Code with the eyes of the world upon you, but he did it. And won later, on his own terms.

Lauda is more admirable. He's more diciplined, more dedicated. He also has won more championships and earned more success overall. While Hunt became a TV commentator lol.

However, if I can be one of them, I'd choose Hunt. He's living his life. And look at his TV appearances! He's always enthusiastic. It looks like he really, really loves cars and racing.

Niki Lauda. I also rooted for him the whole movie through.

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