Brett Lunger is a racing driver from United States who last raced in Formula 1 for Ensign. Lunger has recorded 0 wins and 0 podiums from 34 starts.[1]
A Racer Rating of 4,831 ranks Lunger 451th of 15,348 indexed drivers, on an Elo scale where the strongest reach the low five figures. It is built from every indexed race in the driver's file, decayed for time since their last race.
| 1978-10-01 | Watkins Glen | P13 | +18 |
| 1978-09-10 | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | DNF | −126 |
| 1978-08-27 | Circuit Park Zandvoort | DNF | −53 |
| 1978-08-13 | Red Bull Ring | P8 | +78 |
| 1978-07-16 | Brands Hatch | P8 | +79 |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Poles | Points | Pos | Gain/Loss | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | ▸Formula 1 | Ensign | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | P22 | −1 | 4,861 |
| 1977 | ▸Formula 1 | McLaren | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | P22 | −26 | 4,862 |
| 1976 | ▸Formula 1 | Surtees | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | P21 | +6 | 4,888 |
| 1975 | ▸Formula 1 | Hesketh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P22 | +82 | 4,882 |
| Rival | Rating | Raced | Ahead | Behind | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷 Patrick Depailler | 5,068 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 13% |
| 🇮🇹 Vittorio Brambilla | 4,573 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 44% |
| 🇦🇷 Carlos Reutemann | 5,765 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 13% |
| 🇿🇦 Jody Scheckter | 5,599 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0% |
| 🇫🇷 Jacques Laffite | 5,186 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 13% |
| 🇩🇪 Jochen Mass | 5,075 | 15 | 1 | 14 | 7% |
| 🇬🇧 John Watson | 5,367 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7% |
| 🇦🇹 Niki Lauda | 5,364 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0% |
| 🇬🇧 James Hunt | 4,930 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7% |
| 🇧🇷 Emerson Fittipaldi | 3,999 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 43% |
Brett Lunger was an American Formula 1 driver who raced from 1975 to 1978, accumulating 34 starts without securing a win or podium finish. He drove primarily for Ensign across his career, with a secondary stint that included 17 starts for McLaren. His average finishing position across classified races was P11.4, placing him in the midfield of the grids he competed in. His Racer Rating of 4,831 indicates a driver operating at the level of a strong professional field, though one without the consistency or pace to break through to the front ranks during his time in Formula 1.[1]
Lunger's record against his most frequent rivals reveals the competitive level he inhabited. He faced some of the era's strongest drivers repeatedly; against 1975 world champion Jody Scheckter, Lunger finished ahead zero times in 15 races. He also struggled consistently against Carlos Reutemann, Jacques Laffite, Patrick Depailler, and Jochen Mass, finishing behind each of them in the vast majority of their shared races. However, he did achieve individual results against highly capable drivers, beating future Bronze-graded driver Riccardo Patrese once, along with occasional victories over John Watson and Didier Pironi when circumstances aligned.
His retirement came at the end of 1978, concluding a four-year stint in international single-seater racing. Beyond his racing record, Lunger has become known in motorsport history for his role in a dramatic 1976 incident involving fellow driver Niki Lauda, an event that has been referenced in historical accounts of the era.