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Damon Hill

Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson at launch of GREAT campaign, Australia (6841281192) (cropped).jpg
Hill in 2012
Born
Damon Graham Devereux Hill

(1960-09-17) 17 September 1960 (age 64)
Hampstead, London, England
Spouse(s)
Susan George
(m. 1988)
Children 4, including Josh
Parent(s) Graham Hill (father)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality United Kingdom British
Active years 19921999
Teams Brabham, Williams, Arrows, Jordan
Entries 122 (115 starts)
Championships 1 (1996)
Wins 22
Podiums 42
Career points 360
Pole positions 20
Fastest laps 19
First entry 1992 Spanish Grand Prix
First win 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix
Last win 1998 Belgian Grand Prix
Last entry 1999 Japanese Grand Prix

Damon Graham Devereux Hill (born 17 September 1960) is a British former racing driver and broadcaster. He competed in Formula One from 1992 to 1999. Damon Hill won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1996 with the Williams team. He also won 22 races during his eight seasons.

Damon is the son of Graham Hill, who was also a two-time Formula One World Champion. This makes Damon one of only two sons of a Formula One champion to win the title himself. He started racing motorbikes in 1981. After some success, he moved to racing cars. In 1992, he became a test driver for the Williams team. The next year, he joined the Williams race team. He got his first win at the 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix. In the mid-1990s, Damon Hill was Michael Schumacher's main rival. They often competed closely on and off the track. Their crash at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix led to Schumacher winning his first title by just one point. Hill became champion in 1996 with eight wins. He then drove for the Arrows and Jordan teams. In 1998, he gave Jordan their first-ever win.

Hill retired from racing after the 1999 season. In 2006, he became president of the British Racing Drivers' Club. He helped secure a long contract for Silverstone to host Formula One races. This allowed the circuit to be greatly improved. Hill also worked as a TV expert for Sky Sports F1.

About Damon Hill

Early Life and Family

Damon Hill was born in Hampstead, London. His father, Graham Hill, was a famous Formula One driver. Graham won the world championship in 1962 and 1968. The family lived comfortably until Graham died in a plane crash in 1975. Damon was 15 years old at the time. After this, Damon worked hard to support his family and his education. He worked as a laborer and a motorcycle courier.

Damon is married to Susan "Georgie" George. They have four children, including Joshua. One of his sons was born with Down syndrome. Damon and Georgie support the Down's Syndrome Association. Damon also supports St. Joseph's Specialist School and College. This school helps children with learning disabilities. Joshua, his son, also started racing in 2008 but retired in 2013. Damon is also a patron for Disability Africa, a charity that helps disabled children in Africa.

Damon's Racing Career

Before Formula One

Damon Hill helmet
Hill's helmet

Damon started his racing journey on motorbikes in 1981. He wore a helmet with a special design, just like his father's. It had eight white oar blades on a dark blue helmet. This design represents the London Rowing Club. Damon won a championship at the Brands Hatch circuit. He paid for his racing by working as a builder.

His mother was worried about the dangers of motorcycle racing. She convinced him to try car racing in France in 1983. He showed great talent but only raced cars sometimes until late 1984. In 1985, he raced in Formula Ford and won six races. He finished third in the 1985 Formula Ford Festival.

In 1986, Damon wanted to move up to British Formula Three. But he lost his sponsorship. He borrowed money to keep racing. He finished third in the 1988 championship. After Formula Three, drivers usually go to International Formula 3000 or Formula One. Damon didn't have enough money for Formula 3000 at first. He took a chance in the lower British F3000 championship. He also raced a Porsche 962 at Le Mans and in the British Touring Car Championship. In 1990, he got a chance to drive in Formula 3000. He earned three pole positions but didn't win a race in that series.

Formula One Racing

Brabham Team (1992)

Damon Hill started his Formula One career as a test driver for the Williams team in 1991. In 1992, he joined the Brabham team as a race driver. Brabham was a famous team but was having money problems. Damon joined after three races and managed to qualify for two races. These were the British and Hungarian Grands Prix. The Brabham team stopped racing after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Williams Team (1993–1996)

Williams FW16B and FW15C Donington Grand Prix Collection
Hill's FW16 (1994) and FW15C (1993) cars. He was one of only two drivers to race with the number "0".

In 1993, Damon was chosen to race for Williams alongside the famous Alain Prost. Because the previous champion wasn't racing, Damon got the number "0" on his car. He was only the second driver in F1 history to have this number.

1993 Season

The season started with some bad luck. But Damon soon showed his skill. He got his first podium finish in Brazil. He finished second behind Ayrton Senna in Europe. He also led races in San Marino and Spain before mechanical problems. After strong results in Monaco and Canada, he got his first pole position in France. He finally won his first race at the 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix. He then won two more races in a row, in Belgium and Italy. These wins helped Williams win the Constructors' Championship. Damon finished third in the Drivers' Championship.

1994 Season

In 1994, Ayrton Senna joined Damon at Williams. Damon kept his number "0". Sadly, Senna died in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix. Damon suddenly became the lead driver for Williams. He won the next race in Spain, just four weeks after Senna's death.

Damon Hill juillet 1995
Damon Hill at the 1995 French Grand Prix

Michael Schumacher was leading the championship by a lot. But Damon fought back. He won the British Grand Prix, a race his father had never won. Schumacher was banned from some races. Damon won four more races, which brought him close to Schumacher. The championship went down to the last race in Australia. There was a controversial crash between Hill and Schumacher. Both drivers had to retire, and Schumacher won the title by one point.

Damon's great season earned him the 1994 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

1995 Season

Damon was a favorite for the 1995 championship. He was the main driver for Williams. He started well with a pole position in Brazil and wins in the next two races. But Schumacher won many races that year and took his second title. Hill and Schumacher had several crashes during the season. Damon finished the season strong by winning the 1995 Australian Grand Prix.

1996 Season
Damon Hill Williams FW18 2010 Bahrain
Hill demonstrating his championship-winning Williams FW18 car in 2010

In 1996, the Williams car was very fast. Damon won the championship ahead of his teammate, Jacques Villeneuve. This made him the first son of a Formula One champion to win the title himself. He won eight races and always started from the front row. He led the Monaco Grand Prix, where his father had won many times, but his engine failed. At the final race in Japan, Damon took the lead and won the race and the championship.

Even though he won the title, Williams decided to replace him for the next season. Damon left Williams as their second most successful driver. He won his second BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in 1996. He also received the Segrave Trophy for his achievements.

Arrows Team (1997)

Damon Hill 1997 Arrows
At the British Grand Prix, Hill scored his first point for the Arrows team.
Damon Hill 1997 Arrows Yamaha Hungary
Damon Hill's Arrows A18 leading the Hungarian Grand Prix.

After winning the championship, Damon joined the Arrows team in 1997. Arrows had never won a race before. The car was not very competitive at first. Damon scored his first point for the team in July at the British Grand Prix. His best race was in Hungary. He qualified third and was leading the race by a lot. But a problem with his car slowed him down. He finished second, which was a great result for Arrows.

Jordan Team (1998–1999)

Damon joined the Jordan team for the 1998 season. His teammate was Ralf Schumacher, Michael's younger brother. The Jordan car improved during the season. At the Belgian Grand Prix, in very wet conditions, Damon won the race. This was Jordan's first-ever win in Formula One. Damon was leading, and his teammate Ralf was close behind. The team told Ralf to hold his position to secure a 1-2 finish. Damon finished the season strong, helping Jordan get fourth place in the Constructors' Championship.

Damon Hill 1999 Britain
Hill driving for Jordan at the 1999 British Grand Prix

Hopes were high for 1999, but Damon had a tough season. He struggled with the new four-grooved tires. After a crash in Canada, he announced he would retire at the end of the year. He considered quitting sooner, but Jordan convinced him to stay. He finished fifth at his home race in Britain. His best results for the rest of the year were two sixth-place finishes. His teammate, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, did very well. Damon's last race was in Japan, where he retired early.

After Racing

Damon Hill crop
Hill in 2008

After retiring from racing, Damon stayed involved in motorsports. He became president of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) in 2006. He helped secure a long contract for Silverstone to host Formula One races. This led to big improvements at the circuit.

In 2009, he received an award from the University of Northampton. He has also appeared on many British TV shows. He has raced cars and motorcycles at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In 2010, he was a driver representative at the 2010 Monaco Grand Prix. He helped decide to penalize his old rival Michael Schumacher. In 2012, he raced in the VW Scirocco R-Cup to raise money for charity. In 2018, he became President of the Brooklands Trust Members. He published his autobiography, Watching the Wheels, in 2016.

Broadcaster

2012 Italian GP - Damon Hill
Hill (left) working as a presenter for Sky Sports F1

Damon has often appeared in the British media. He was on the TV show Jim'll Fix It with his father in 1975. He has written articles for F1 Racing magazine. He also worked as a TV expert for Sky Sports F1 from 2012. He resigned from this role after the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix.

Music Career

Damon loved music from a young age. He formed a punk band called "Hormones" in school. After becoming famous in Formula One, he played guitar with musicians like George Harrison. He even played on a song called "Demolition Man" by the band Def Leppard. He was proud of this, saying his guitar part fit well.

Damon also played music at the British Grand Prix with other F1 musicians. After retiring from racing, he spent more time on music. He played with celebrity bands and formed his own band, The Conrods. They played cover songs by famous bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Since becoming president of the BRDC in 2006, he says he plays guitar less often.

Racing Record

Career Summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1985 Formula Ford Festival 1 0 0 ? 1 N/A 3rd
1986 British Formula Three West Surrey Racing 18 0 0 0 1 15 9th
1987 British Formula Three Intersport Racing 18 2 2 2 6 49 5th
1988 British Formula Three Cellnet Ricoh Racing/Intersport Team 18 2 2 1 8 57 3rd
Formula 3000 GA Motorsport 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1989 Formula 3000 Footwork Formula 5 0 0 0 0 0 NC
British Touring Car Championship FAI Auto Parts 1 0 0 0 0 3 18th
1990 Formula 3000 Middlebridge Racing 10 0 3 2 1 6 13th
1991 Formula 3000 Barclay Team EJR 10 0 0 0 1 11 7th
Formula One Canon Williams Renault Test driver
1992 Formula One Motor Racing Developments 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Canon Williams Renault Reserve driver
1993 Formula One Canon Williams Renault 16 3 2 4 10 69 3rd
1994 Formula One Rothmans Williams Renault 16 6 2 6 11 91 2nd
1995 Formula One Rothmans Williams Renault 17 4 7 4 9 69 2nd
1996 Formula One Rothmans Williams Renault 16 8 9 5 10 97 1st
1997 Formula One Danka Arrows Yamaha 17 0 0 0 1 7 12th
1998 Formula One B&H Jordan 16 1 0 0 1 20 6th
1999 Formula One B&H Jordan 16 0 0 0 0 7 12th

Complete Formula One Results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Pts
1992 Motor Racing Developments Brabham BT60B Judd GV 3.5 V10 RSA MEX BRA ESP
DNQ
SMR
DNQ
MON
DNQ
CAN
DNQ
FRA
DNQ
GBR
16
GER
DNQ
HUN
11
BEL
DNA
ITA POR JPN AUS NC 0
1993 Canon Williams Renault Williams FW15C Renault RS5 3.5 V10 RSA
Ret
BRA
2
EUR
2
SMR
Ret
ESP
Ret
MON
2
CAN
3
FRA
2
GBR
Ret
GER
15
HUN
1
BEL
1
ITA
1
POR
3
JPN
4
AUS
3
3rd 69
1994 Rothmans Williams Renault Williams FW16 Renault RS6 3.5 V10 BRA
2
PAC
Ret
SMR
6
MON
Ret
ESP
1
CAN
2
FRA
2
GBR
1
2nd 91
Williams FW16B GER
8
HUN
2
BEL
1
ITA
1
POR
1
EUR
2
JPN
1
AUS
Ret
1995 Rothmans Williams Renault Williams FW17 Renault RS7 3.0 V10 BRA
Ret
ARG
1
SMR
1
ESP
4
MON
2
CAN
Ret
FRA
2
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
HUN
1
BEL
2
ITA
Ret
POR
3
2nd 69
Williams FW17B EUR
Ret
PAC
3
JPN
Ret
AUS
1
1996 Rothmans Williams Renault Williams FW18 Renault RS8 3.0 V10 AUS
1
BRA
1
ARG
1
EUR
4
SMR
1
MON
Ret
ESP
Ret
CAN
1
FRA
1
GBR
Ret
GER
1
HUN
2
BEL
5
ITA
Ret
POR
2
JPN
1
1st 97
1997 Danka Arrows Yamaha Arrows A18 Yamaha OX11C/D 3.0 V10 AUS
DNS
BRA
17
ARG
Ret
SMR
Ret
MON
Ret
ESP
Ret
CAN
9
FRA
12
GBR
6
GER
8
HUN
2
BEL
13
ITA
Ret
AUT
7
LUX
8
JPN
11
EUR
Ret
12th 7
1998 B&H Jordan Jordan 198 Mugen-Honda MF-301 HC 3.0 V10 AUS
8
BRA
DSQ
ARG
8
SMR
10
ESP
Ret
MON
8
CAN
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
AUT
7
GER
4
HUN
4
BEL
1
ITA
6
LUX
9
JPN
4
6th 20
1999 B&H Jordan Jordan 199 Mugen-Honda MF-301 HD 3.0 V10 AUS
Ret
BRA
Ret
SMR
4
MON
Ret
ESP
7
CAN
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
5
AUT
8
GER
Ret
HUN
6
BEL
6
ITA
10
EUR
Ret
MAL
Ret
JPN
Ret
12th 7
Source:

Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.

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