The legendary James Hunt is hailed for his stunning abilities on the Formula 1 grid as well as his seductive moves with the ladies in his personal life

James Hunt's Formula 1 title was confirmed on this day 50 years ago and he celebrated in his typical playboy fashion. The British racer won the world championship in 1976, beating legendary star Niki Lauda after a season full of dramatic moments.

While the ex-F1 star was hailed for his seven-year stint on the grid, winning 10 Grand Prix races, Hunt was best known for his love of partying and the seductive nature that came with it. The Brit emerged as a sex symbol in the 1970s and reportedly indulged in some notorious behaviours during the peak of his career.

Hunt allegedly bedded as many as 5,000 women during his life, with this figure speculated to have included 35 air hostesses during his title-winning season. Following his death in 1993 from a heart attack, aged just 45, son Freddie spoke out on his dad's party lifestyle and was open about his reported drug use.

He told The Times: "I can’t vouch for the number of women but I know that Dad wasn’t a junkie. He just liked getting loose at parties. He took coke, but he wasn’t a cokehead. We do behave quite similarly. Then again, my mum was pretty naughty too."

Commenting on his father's womanising abilities, Freddie added: "There were witnesses. There was a fresh supply of hostesses. They would come to the hotel, stop over, then get on the plane the next day. There was a different one every night."

Hunt first married two years before his F1 title win to Suzy Miller but she left him a year later for actor Richard Burton. He went on to wed his second wife, Sarah Lomax, in 1983 and had two children with her - including Freddie.

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They separated in 1988 but continued to live together until divorcing a year later due to adultery committed by Hunt. He found love again just before his death in 1993, joining up with waitress Helen Dyson who was 18 years his junior. He proposed to the young service worker but sadly died the next day.

Hunt enjoyed a very active sex life according to reports, allegedly bedding 33 British Airways stewardesses in just two weeks at one point. The Surrey-born star reportedly fed his "gigantic appetite for sex" by inviting the air hostesses to his suite before he would take to the grid at the Tokyo Grand Prix.

Patrick Head, co-founder of Williams F1, allegedly walked in on Hunt getting down to business with a local woman in the pit garage when he was a young car designer. Despite this unusual preparation, Hunt would go on to win the championship and "drained the aircraft of alcohol" as he returned to the UK to celebrate his victory.