There was a time in the mid-1970s when Rupert Keegan, who has died aged 69 after a long battle against cancer, was hailed as the next James Hunt. The similarities were obvious: they both started out with a habit of crashing Formula Ford cars, then rose rapidly through the single-seater ranks to Formula 1 and enjoyed the playboy lifestyle. Sponsorship from gentleman’s magazine Penthouse and Durex only added to the image in Keegan’s case.
Another parallel was that they both took their first steps at the pinnacle of the sport with Hesketh, Hunt in 1973 and Keegan four years later in ’77. But whereas future F1 world champion Hunt’s career kicked on, Keegan’s never did.
