Graham Hill
Graham Hill Champ Car career | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 races run over 4 years | |||||||
Best finish | 9th (1966) | ||||||
First race | 1966 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
Last race | 1968 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
First win | 1966 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| |||||||
24 Hours of Le Mans career | |||||||
Years | 1958–1966, 1972 | ||||||
Teams | Lotus, Porsche AG, NART-Walker, Aston Martin, Rover-BRM, Maranello, Alan Mann, Matra-Simca | ||||||
Best finish | 1st (1972) | ||||||
Class wins | 1 (1972) |
Norman Graham Hill
Wins in the most prestigious races of all three of the major disciplines of motor racing cemented Hill's position as one of the most complete drivers in the history of the sport. Hill was also a well liked television personality and was frequently seen on television screens in the 1970s in a non-sporting capacity, appearing on a variety of programmes including panel games.
Upon leaving Brabham, Hill set up his own team in 1973, operating under the name
Hill and his son Damon were the first father and son pair to win Formula One World Championships. Hill's grandson Josh, Damon's son, also raced his way through the ranks until he retired from Formula Three in 2013 at the age of 22.
Early life
Born in
Racing career
Hill did not pass his driving test until he was 24 years old, and he himself described his first car as "A wreck. A budding racing driver should own such a car, as it teaches delicacy, poise and anticipation, mostly the latter I think!"
In 1960, Hill joined BRM, he won also in that year on 8 May 1960 the Targa Florio in the class Sports 1600 together with a German driver Edgar Barth in a Porsche 718, and won the world championship with BRM in 1962. He was known for his race preparation, keeping records of the settings on his car and working long hours with his mechanics.[12] Hill was also part of the so-called 'British invasion' of drivers and cars in the Indianapolis 500 during the mid-1960s, triumphing there in 1966 in a Lola-Ford.[13]
At the same time, Hill along with his F1 contemporaries competed in the British Saloon Car Championship, scoring several outright wins. He achieved a best finish of sixth overall in 1961 driving a Jaguar Mark 2.[14]
In 1967, back at Lotus, Hill helped to develop the Lotus 49 with the new Cosworth-V8 engine. It fell to Hill to perform the initial testing of the new car and its engine. After the first shakedown run, Hill quipped "Well, it's got some poke! Not a bad old tool."[15] After teammates Jim Clark and Mike Spence were killed in early 1968, Hill led the team, and won his second world championship in 1968. The Lotus had a reputation of being very fragile and dangerous at that time, especially with the new aerodynamic aids which caused similar crashes of Hill and Jochen Rindt at the 1969 Spanish Grand Prix. A crash at the 1969 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen broke both his legs and interrupted his career. Typically, when asked soon after the crash if he wanted to pass on a message to his wife, Hill replied "Just tell her that I won't be dancing for two weeks."[16]
Upon recovery Hill continued to race in F1 for several more years, but never again with the same level of success.
Hill was known during the latter part of his career for his wit and became a popular personality – he was a regular guest on television and wrote a notably frank and witty autobiography, Life at the Limit,
Hill was involved with four films between 1966 and 1974, including appearances in Grand Prix and Caravan to Vaccarès, in which he appeared as a helicopter pilot.[21] During a Christmas Eve 1970 special of BBC's Tomorrow's World Hill played against Raymond Baxter on an early racing video game, with data centre workers Anne Norie and Margaret Watson manning the terminals for the game.[22]
Although Hill had concentrated on F1 he also maintained a presence in sports car racing throughout his career (including two runs in the Rover-BRM gas turbine car at Le Mans). As his F1 career drew to a close he became part of the Matra sports car team, taking a victory in the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans with Henri Pescarolo. This victory completed the so-called Triple Crown of Motorsport which is alternatively defined as winning either:
- the Indianapolis 500 (won by Hill in 1966), the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1972) and the Monaco Grand Prix (1963–65, 1968, 1969),[23][24] or
- the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship (1962, 1968).[25][26][27]
Using either definition, Hill is still the only person ever to have accomplished this feat.
Hill set up his own team in 1973:
Along with Stirling Moss, Hill put his name to and supported the Grand Prix Midget Championship, which started in 1975, with the aim of bringing low cost motor sport to people who wanted to try a new career.[28]
Hill's record of 176 Grand Prix starts remained in place for over a decade until being equalled by Jacques Laffite.
Family
Hill married Bette in 1955; because Hill had spent all his money on his racing career, she paid for the wedding. They had two daughters, Brigitte and Samantha, and a son,
The family lived in Mill Hill during the 1960s. The house now features an English Heritage blue plaque.[29] During the early 1970s, Hill moved to Lyndhurst House in Shenley in Hertfordshire. The house is now owned by musician Jeff Wayne.[30] Well known for throwing extravagant parties at his houses to which most of the Grand Prix paddock and other famous guests attended, Hill was universally popular.[31]
Rowing
Before taking up motor racing, Hill spent several years actively involved in rowing. Initially, he rowed at Southsea Rowing Club, while stationed in Portsmouth with the Royal Navy and at Auriol Rowing Club in Hammersmith. He met his future wife Bette at a Boxing Day party at Auriol and, while courting her, he also coached her clubmates at Stuart Ladies' Rowing Club on the River Lea.
In 1952 he joined London Rowing Club, then as now one of the largest and most successful clubs in Great Britain. From 1952 to 1954, Hill rowed in twenty finals with London, usually as stroke of the crew, eight of which resulted in wins. He also stroked the London eight in the highly prestigious Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, losing a semi-final to Union Sportif Metropolitaine des Transports, France by a length.
Through his racing career he continued to support rowing and London. In 1968 when the club began a financial appeal to modernise its clubhouse, Hill launched proceedings by driving an old Morris Oxford, which had been obtained for £5, head-on into a boundary wall. Hill made three runs to reduce the wall to rubble, and the car was subsequently sold for £15.[citation needed]
Hill felt that the experience gained in rowing helped him in his motor-racing. He wrote in his autobiography:
"I really enjoyed my rowing. It really taught me a lot about myself, and I also think it is a great character-building sport...The self discipline required for rowing and the 'never say die' attitude obviously helped me through the difficult years that lay ahead."
Hill adopted the colours and cap design of London Rowing Club for his racing helmet – dark blue with white oar-shaped tabs. His son Damon and grandson Josh later adopted the same colours with permission from the club.[32]
Death
Hill died on 29 November 1975 at the age of 46 when his
The subsequent investigation revealed that Hill's aircraft, originally
Hill's funeral was held at
Legacy
After his death, Silverstone village, home to the track of the same name, named a road, Graham Hill, after him[36] and there is a "Graham Hill Road" on The Shires estate in nearby Towcester. Graham Hill Bend at Brands Hatch is also named in his honour. A blue plaque commemorates Hill at 32 Parkside, in Mill Hill, London NW7.[37]
In
Bibliography
- Life at the Limit – 1970
- Graham Hill's Motor Racing Book – 1970
- Graham Hill's Car Racing Guide – 1971 (with Mike Kettlewood)
- Advanced Driving with Graham Hill – 1975 (with Neil Ewart)
- Graham – 1976 (with Neil Ewart)
Career results
Career summary
- ^ Hill won the 1966 Indianapolis 500.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete Formula One non-championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete USAC Championship Car results
Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1963 | TRE | INDY DNQ |
MIL |
LAN | TRE | SPR | MIL
|
DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX
|
– | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
1966 | PHX |
TRE |
INDY 1 |
MIL
|
LAN | ATL | PIP | IRP
|
LAN | SPR | MIL
|
DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX
|
- | 0 | ||||||||||||
1967 | PHX |
TRE |
INDY 32 |
MIL |
LAN |
PIP | MOS |
MOS |
IRP |
LAN |
MTR |
MTR |
SPR |
MIL |
DUQ |
ISF |
TRE |
SAC |
HAN |
PHX |
RIV |
- | 0 | |||||||
1968 | HAN |
LVG |
PHX |
TRE |
INDY 19 |
MIL |
MOS DNQ |
MOS |
LAN |
PIP |
CDR |
NAZ |
IRP |
IRP |
LAN |
LAN |
MTR |
MTR |
SPR |
MIL |
DUQ |
ISF |
TRE |
SAC |
MCH |
HAN |
PHX |
RIV |
- | 0 |
1969 | PHX |
HAN |
INDY Wth |
MIL |
LAN |
PIP | CDR |
NAZ | TRE |
IRP |
IRP |
MIL |
SPR |
DOV |
DUQ |
ISF |
BRN |
BRN |
TRE |
SAC |
KEN | KEN | PHX |
RIV |
- | 0 |
Indianapolis 500 results
|
|
- Hill failed to qualify the innovative John Crosthwaite (who had worked with Hill at Team Lotus) designed 'roller skate' car for the 1963 Indianapolis 500 race after crashing in practice. Hill, who had been commuting weekly due to other commitments in Europe, would not wait in the USA while the car was repaired and risk not qualifying or qualifying badly.[39][40]
- Hill's 1966 victory marked the first win by a rookie driver since Frank Lockhart's 1927 win and the last until Juan Pablo Montoya's visit to Victory Lane in 2000 (Montoya has also emulated Hill's feat of winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix).
- Hill entered the 1969 Indianapolis 500, but his car (Lotus-Ford Chassis 64/2) was withdrawn during practice along with those of Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt due to delays rectifying problems associated with hub failure on Andretti's car.
Complete Tasman Series results
Year | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Rank | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1964 | Brabham BT4
|
LEV | PUK | WIG | TER | SAN | WAR 4 |
LAK | LON 1 |
6th | 12 |
1965 | Brabham BT11A
|
PUK 1 |
LEV | WIG | TER | WAR 5 |
SAN Ret |
LON 4 |
7th | 14 | |
1966 | BRM P261 | PUK 1 |
LEV | WIG | TER | WAR 2 |
LAK 1 |
SAN (3) |
LON 2 |
2nd | 30 (34) |
1967 | Lotus 48 | PUK | WIG | LAK | WAR Ret |
SAN | LON | NC | 0 | ||
1968 | Lotus 49T
|
PUK | LEV | WIG | TER | SUR 2 |
WAR 2 |
SAN 3 |
LON 6 |
4th | 17 |
1969 | Lotus 49T
|
PUK Ret |
LEV Ret |
WIG 2 |
TER 2 |
LAK 4 |
WAR 11 |
SAN 6 |
5th | 16 |
24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year | Team | Co-driver | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1958 | Team Lotus | Cliff Allison | Lotus XV -Climax
|
S 2.0 | 3 | DNF | DNF |
1959 | Team Lotus | Derek Jolly | Lotus XV -Climax
|
S 2.0 | 119 | DNF | DNF |
1960 | Porsche KG | Jo Bonnier | Porsche 718/4 RS | S 2.0 | 191 | DNF | DNF |
1961 | North American Racing Team | Stirling Moss | Ferrari 250 GT SWB | GT3.0 | 121 | DNF | DNF |
1962 | David Brown Organisation | Richie Ginther | Aston Martin DP212 | Exp 4.0 | 78 | DNF | DNF |
1963 | Owen Racing Organisation
|
Richie Ginther | Rover-BRM | ACO Prize | 310 | (8th)* | (1st)* |
1964 | Maranello Concessionaires | Jo Bonnier | Ferrari 330P | P 4.0 | 344 | 2nd | 2nd |
1965 | Owen Racing Organisation
|
Jackie Stewart | Rover-BRM | P 2.0 | 284 | 10th | 2nd |
1966 | Alan Mann Racing | Brian Muir | Ford GT Mk.II | P 7.0 | 110 | DNF | DNF |
1972 | Shell
|
Henri Pescarolo | Matra-Simca MS670 | S 3.0 |
344 | 1st | 1st |
- 1963 Rover-BRM ran for the ACO prize for a gas turbine car covering a minimum of 3600 km, not officially classified.
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Pts | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1958 | Speedwell Stable | Austin A35 | A | BRH | BRH | MAL | BRH | BRH | CRY | BRH | BRH Ret |
BRH | NC | 0 | NC | ||
1960 | Team Speedwell | Jaguar Mk II 3.8
|
+2600cc | BRH | SNE
|
MAL | OUL | SNE
|
BRH Ret* |
NC | 0 | ||||||
Austin Mini Seven
|
BRH Ret |
BRH | |||||||||||||||
1961 | Equipe Endeavour | Jaguar Mk II 3.8
|
D | SNE
|
GOO 2 |
AIN | SIL 1 |
CRY | SIL 2 |
BRH | OUL 2 |
SNE
|
6th | 28 | 3rd | ||
1962 | John Coombs | Jaguar Mk II 3.8
|
D | SNE 3 |
GOO 1 |
AIN 1 |
SIL 1 |
CRY | AIN | BRH Ret |
OUL 1 |
4th | 32 | 2nd | |||
1963 | John Coombs | Jaguar Mk II 3.8
|
D | SNE 2 |
OUL 1 |
GOO 1 |
AIN 1 |
SIL Ret |
CRY 3† |
SIL | BRH 2 |
BRH | 3rd | 49 | 1st | ||
John Willment Automobiles | Ford Galaxie | OUL 2 |
SNE
| ||||||||||||||
1967
|
Team Lotus | Ford Cortina Lotus
|
C | BRH 2 |
SNE 4 |
SIL 3 |
SIL Ret |
MAL | SIL | SIL | BRH Ret |
OUL Ret† |
BRH | 10th | 24 | 2nd | |
1968
|
Alan Mann Racing | Ford Escort TC
|
C | BRH | THR | SIL | CRY | MAL | BRH | SIL | CRO | OUL Ret |
BRH | BRH | NC | 0 | NC |
Source:[41]
|
† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.
- Car over 1000cc - Not eligible for points.
Complete Canadian-American Challenge Cup results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Car | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pos | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1966 | Team Surtees | Lola T70 Mk.2 | Chevrolet | MTR |
BRI |
MOS |
LAG |
RIV 3 |
LVG |
9th | 4 |
Source:[42]
|
Credits and honours
Hill's easy wit and charm helped him become a
Hill was appointed
A one-off BBC Four documentary called Graham Hill: Driven was first broadcast on 26 May 2008.[46]
References
- ^ a b Up until 1990, not all points scored by a driver contributed to their final World Championship tally (see list of points scoring systems for more information). Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
- ^ Matthew Knight and Andrew Stewart (27 May 2016). "Monaco Grand Prix: The 'gentleman' racer who ruled on the French Riviera". CNN. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ^ Alan Baldwin (19 May 2017). "Motor racing - Triple crown: Monaco or F1 championship?". Reuters. London. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- ^ "Tribute to Graham Hill". lastingtribute.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ISBN 0-09-134900-1.
- ^ Oliver Irish (15 June 2007). "Stick to the day job, Jacques". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ^ a b "Plane crash kills driver Graham Hill". Pittsburgh Press. (Pennsylvania, U.S.). United Press International. 30 November 1975. p. D-1.
- ^ a b "After cheating death 20 years, Hill killed in air crash". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. (Florida, U.S.). Associated Press. 1 December 1975. p. 1C.
- ^ Graham Hill at Badgergp Archived 10 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ Naz, Chris (31 August 2015). "GRAHAM HILL: DRIVEN". My Life at Speed. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Graham Hill in the Monaco Grand Prix, George Phillips Photograph Collection, Revs Institute, Revs Digital Library.
- ^ "Graham Hill". Motor Sport. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ Indianapolis 500, Karl Ludvigsen Photograph Collection, Revs Institute, Revs Digital Library.
- ^ Sanson, Jake (22 March 2017). "Ten Racers You Never Knew Raced in the BTCC". DriveTribe. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ Perkins, Chris (19 July 2017). "Watch F1's Greatest Car and Engine Take Their First Laps". Road & Track. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- ^ "GP Report: Rindt Takes First GP Win". Autosport. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ISBN 0-330-02675-5.
- ^ "Book Review: Graham by Graham Hill with Neil Ewart | F1-nut.com". f1-nut.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ Times Newspapers Limited; Monday, 24 June 1974, Issue Number 59122, Page 19, Broadcasting.
- ]
- ^ Caravan to Vaccarès: Cast & Crew Archived 15 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine movies.msn.com. Retrieved on 14 July 2007.
- ^ Unknown (1970). "Ex-champion rallies, loses on points". Data Processing News. IBM.
- ^ Dan Knutson (3 June 2003). "Points Race Stays Tight; Montoya Joins Elite Company With Victory". Archived from the original on 6 November 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Henri Boulanger. "Monaco Grand Prix Glitz Draws Rising Stars". IntakeInfo.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ^ "Bette Hill with Neil Ewart 1978 p87"
- ^ "Tribute to Graham Hill". lastingtribute.co.ok. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ^ Oliver Irish (15 June 2007). "Stick to the day job, Jacques". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ^ "Grand Prix Midget Club - About us". gpmidgets.weebly.com. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "HILL, Graham (1929-1975) | English Heritage". English Heritage. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ "Elstree & Borehamwood Museum Friends Newsletter September 2015" (PDF). elstree-museum.org.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ Naafs, Bas (17 November 2017). "Graham Hill: a portrait". DriveTribe. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ISBN 0-9552938-0-4.
- ^ a b P J Bardon (29 September 1976). "Report No: 14/1976. Piper PA 23–250 Turbo Aztec 'D', N6645Y. Report on the accident at Arkley Golf Course, Arkley, Hertfordshire on 29 November 1975". HMSO. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ^ "FAA Registry (N6645Y)". Federal Aviation Administration.
- ^ Viner, Brian (3 March 1999). "Motor racing: Hill driven on by quest for true respect". The Independent. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ Graham Hill, Google Maps
- ^ "HILL, GRAHAM (1929–1975)". English Heritage. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
- ^ "Graham Hill Indy 500 Race Stats". Indy500.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ "Mickey Thompson – Indy 500 1963". Thompson-motorsports.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ Car and Driver August 1963
- ^ de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ "Can-Am - final positions and tables". World Sports Racing Prototypes. 2 October 2005. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ "Jim'll Fix It". Radio Times. 12 June 1975. p. 15. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ "20 Years of Jim'll Fix It". Radio Times. 29 December 1994. p. 106. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ United Kingdom list: "No. 44600". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1968. p. 6310.
- ^ "Graham Hill: Driven". BBC Four Programmes. BBC. Retrieved 20 February 2011.