Rush to portray 'famous rivalry' between F1 legends James Hunt, Niki Lauda on big screen

The new movie Rush is reportedly set to bring the intense rivalry between late British Formula 1 racing star James Hunt and Austrian champion Niki Lauda on the big screen as it sets for a September 13 release.

Directed by Oscar-winning director Ron Howard, Rush sees Thor actor Chris Hemsworth playing the role of Hunt, who was known for his playboy behaviour off the track, and will show his famous rivalry with three-time F1 champion Lauda, who is played by Inglourious Basterds star Daniel Bruhl.

According to the BBC, the film depicts the rivalry between the drivers, both on and off the track, that led to a devastating crash at the German Grand Prix in 1976.

Although Howard insisted that having no prior interest in F1 allowed him to write a better film, writer Peter Morgan however, said that his growing curiosity for the sport was an asset to making the film, adding that having F1 experts with him during the making helped him present a film that feels authentic and respects the world of sport.

Morgan also said that for him, the movie is a way of exploring the rivalry between England and Austria, quipping that he lives that rivalry on a daily basis as his wife is an Austrian.

Meanwhile, Howard said that it was necessary to inject some steamy scenes in the movie to capture Hunt's free-spirited character and some of the glamour of the 1970s, even though he is not particularly known for including sex in his films, which include Frost/Nixon, Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind.

The film's 'modest' 38 million-dollar budget allowed for replica cars to be built as well as visual effects for the racing scenes, the report added.