James Hunt vs Patrick Tambay
James Hunt out-qualified Patrick Tambay 9–1 at McLaren in 1978, but Patrick Tambay won the races 7–3. Grid slots, finishes, points and retirements compared.
James HuntPatrick Tambay
9Qualifying1
10 shared races
3Race day7
10 shared races
4Points5
as awarded at the time
30Points (today’s rules)38
rescored 25-18-15…
- Wins
- 0/0
- Podiums
- 0/0
- Poles
- 0/0
- Retirements
- 6/4
- Best finish
- P4/P4
- Avg. grid
- 7.5/11.5
| R | Grand Prix | James Hunt | Patrick Tambay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentine Grand Prix | P4 | P6 |
| 2 | Brazilian Grand Prix | Spun off | Spun off |
| 3 | South African Grand Prix | Engine | Accident |
| 4 | United States Grand Prix West | Accident | P12 |
| 5 | Monaco Grand Prix | Handling | P7 |
| 7 | Spanish Grand Prix | P6 | Spun off |
| 8 | Swedish Grand Prix | P8 | P4 |
| 11 | German Grand Prix | Disqualified | Accident |
| 15 | United States Grand Prix | P7 | P6 |
| 16 | Canadian Grand Prix | Spun off | P8 |
| Matchup | Race |
|---|---|
| James Hunt vs Brett Lunger | 2–2 |
| Brett Lunger vs Patrick Tambay | 1–2 |
How these numbers are calculated
- Only races both drivers started are counted. Entries that did not qualify, did not pre-qualify or were withdrawn are excluded, as is the Indianapolis 500 of 1950–1960.
- Qualifying is compared on grid position rather than session times. Session-by-session qualifying data only exists from 1994, while grid position is recorded for over 99% of entries right back to 1950 — including every race of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
- On race day the driver classified ahead takes the round. If neither was classified, the one who completed more laps is credited; if both retired on the same lap it is scored as a tie and excluded from the tally.
- Points are those awarded at the time and include sprint races from 2021. The second points row rescores every round under the current system so seasons from different eras can be compared.
- These are points scored across the season, which up to 1990 is not the same as the championship total: only a driver’s best results counted towards the title. In 1988 Alain Prost outscored Ayrton Senna 105 to 94 and still lost the championship. Theseason page has the final standings.