Damon Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Damon Hill
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Hill in 2012
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| Born |
Damon Graham Devereux Hill
17 September 1960 Hampstead, London, England
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| Spouse(s) |
Susan George
(m. 1988) |
| Children | 4, including Josh |
| Parent(s) | Graham Hill (father) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Active years | 1992–1999 |
| 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 famous English racing driver and TV commentator. He raced in Formula One, the highest level of car racing, from 1992 to 1999. Damon Hill won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1996 with the Williams team. He won 22 Grand Prix races during his eight seasons in the sport.
Damon grew up in London. His father, Graham Hill, was also a two-time Formula One World Champion. Damon and Nico Rosberg are the only two sons of a Formula One champion to also win the title themselves. Damon started racing motorbikes in 1981. After some success, he moved to racing single-seater cars. In 1992, he became a test driver for the Williams team, which was winning championships.
He became a full-time Williams race driver in 1993. He got his first win at the 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix. In the mid-1990s, Damon Hill was Michael Schumacher's main rival for the Formula One title. They had many exciting battles on and off the track. In 1994, they crashed at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix. This crash gave Schumacher his first title by just one point.
Damon became champion in 1996, winning eight races that year. However, Williams decided to replace him for the next season. He then raced for the Arrows and Jordan teams, which were not as competitive. In 1998, he gave Jordan their first-ever win.
Damon Hill stopped racing after the 1999 season. In 2006, he became the president of the British Racing Drivers' Club. He helped secure a long-term contract for Silverstone to host Formula One races. This allowed the track to get many important upgrades. Damon also worked as an expert commentator for Sky Sports F1 until 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Damon Hill was born in Hampstead, London. His parents were Graham and Bette Hill. His father, Graham Hill, was a famous Formula One driver. Graham won the World Drivers' Championship in 1962 and 1968. The family lived comfortably in a large house in Hertfordshire. Damon went to The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School.
In 1975, when Damon was 15, his father died in a plane crash. This made things very difficult for Damon, his mother, and his sisters. Damon worked as a builder and a motorcycle courier to help support his family and continue his education.
Damon is married to Susan "Georgie" George. They have four children, including Joshua. One of their sons was born with Down syndrome. Damon and Georgie support the Down's Syndrome Association. In 2009, Damon also became a patron for St. Joseph's Specialist School and College. This school helps children with severe learning disabilities and autism. Joshua started racing cars in 2008 but stopped in 2013.
Damon Hill is also a patron for the charity Disability Africa. This charity helps disabled children in African countries.
Racing Journey
Motorbike Racing
Damon Hill began his racing career on motorbikes in 1981. He used a helmet design similar to his father's. It was dark blue with eight white oar blades. These colors and design represent the London Rowing Club, where his father used to row. Damon won a championship at the Brands Hatch circuit. He earned money for racing by working as a builder and a motorcycle delivery rider.
Switching to Race Cars
Damon's mother was worried about how dangerous motorcycle racing was. She convinced him to try a racing car course in France in 1983. He showed great talent. He started racing single-seater cars more regularly by late 1984. In 1985, his first full season in cars, he won six races in British Formula Ford. He finished third in one of the UK national championships.
Formula 3 and Formula 3000
In 1986, Damon planned to move up to the British Formula Three Championship. However, he lost his sponsorship. His teammate, Bertrand Fabi, also died in a testing accident. Damon decided to keep racing, saying he was "more frightened of letting it all slip." He borrowed money to continue racing. He finished third in the 1988 British F3 championship.
Damon then moved to International Formula 3000 in 1988. This was usually the next step before Formula One. He didn't have enough sponsorship for a full F3000 season in 1989. He drove for less competitive teams. In 1990, he got three pole positions but never won a race in Formula 3000.
Other Races
Damon also raced in other types of cars. In 1987, he drove in various "one-make" races. These included MG Metro Turbos and Saab 900 Turbos. He even won a Saab race at Brands Hatch.
In 1989, he raced a Porsche 962 at the famous Le Mans 24-hour race. His car's engine broke down after 228 laps. In 1990, he competed in a British Touring Car Championship endurance race.
Formula One Career
Brabham Team (1992)
Damon Hill started his Formula One journey as a test driver for the Williams team in 1991. In 1992, he got a chance to race for the Brabham team. Brabham was having serious money problems. Damon joined the team after three races, replacing another driver. He managed to qualify for two races, the British and Hungarian Grands Prix. He continued to test for Williams that year. The Brabham team stopped racing after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Williams Team (1993–1996)
In 1993, Damon was unexpectedly promoted to the Williams race team. He became teammates with the three-time World Champion, Alain Prost. Since the 1992 champion wasn't racing, Williams used car numbers "0" and "2". Damon took the number "0" as the junior driver.
- 1993 Season
- First Wins
Damon's first full season had a rocky start. He spun out of a race in South Africa. But he quickly showed his talent. He got his first podium finish (top three) in Brazil. He finished second behind Ayrton Senna in Europe. In San Marino, he led the race briefly. He had some mechanical problems in Spain and Britain.
At the Hungarian race, Damon won his first Formula One race! He led from start to finish. This made him the first son of a Formula One winner to also win a Grand Prix. He then won two more races in a row, in Belgium and Italy. His third win helped Williams win the Constructors' Championship. He finished the season in third place in the Drivers' Championship.
- 1994 Season
- A Tough Challenge
In 1994, Ayrton Senna joined Damon at Williams. Damon kept his number "0". Many people thought Senna would easily win the title. But the Benetton team and Michael Schumacher were very strong. Senna tragically died in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix on May 1. Damon suddenly became the team leader.
Just four weeks after Senna's death, Damon won the Spanish Grand Prix. This was a very emotional win. Schumacher was leading the championship by a lot of points. But Damon fought back. He won the British Grand Prix, a race his father had never won. Schumacher was disqualified from that race and banned from two others. Damon won four more races. This brought the championship battle down to the very last race in Australia.
In the final race, neither Damon nor Schumacher finished. Schumacher crashed while leading. Damon tried to pass him, and they collided. Both cars were out of the race. This meant Schumacher won the title by just one point. Many people debated if Schumacher caused the crash on purpose. Damon later said he believed Schumacher did it on purpose.
Damon's strong season earned him the 1994 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
- 1995 Season
- More Battles
In 1995, Damon was a favorite for the title. Williams had won the Constructors' Championship in 1994. Damon was the clear lead driver. He started well with a pole position in Brazil. But a spin handed the win to Schumacher. Damon won the next two races and led the championship. However, Schumacher won seven of the next twelve races. He secured his second title with two races left.
Damon and Schumacher had several crashes during the season. Both drivers received warnings and temporary bans. Damon finished the season strongly by winning the Australian Grand Prix.
- 1996 Season
- World Champion!
In 1996, the Williams car was the fastest in Formula One. Damon went on to win the World Championship! He beat his teammate, Jacques Villeneuve. This made Damon the first son of a Formula One champion to win the championship himself. He won eight races and always started from the front row.
At Monaco, where his father had won five times, Damon was leading. But his engine failed. Near the end of the season, Villeneuve started to challenge for the title. Villeneuve took pole position at the final race in Japan. But Damon took the lead at the start and won the race and the championship!
Even though he won the title, Damon learned that Williams would replace him for the next season. He left Williams as their second most successful driver, with 21 wins. Damon's 1996 World Championship earned him his second BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. He also received the Segrave Trophy for his outstanding achievements.
Arrows Team (1997)
After winning the championship, Damon joined the Arrows team for 1997. Arrows had never won a race in its 20-year history. Damon's title defense started poorly. The Arrows car was not very competitive. He didn't score his first point until July at the British Grand Prix.
His best result that year was at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Bridgestone tires on his car worked very well that day. Damon qualified third, which was amazing for Arrows. He even passed Michael Schumacher during the race and was leading by a lot. But a problem with his car slowed him down. He finished second, which was still a fantastic result for Arrows.
Jordan Team (1998–1999)
After one year with Arrows, Damon signed with the Jordan team for the 1998 season. His new teammate was Ralf Schumacher, Michael's younger brother. The Jordan car was not fast at the start of the season. But it improved later on.
At the Belgian Grand Prix, in very wet conditions, Damon took Jordan's first-ever win! He was leading the race, and his teammate Ralf Schumacher was close behind. The team told Ralf to hold his position so they could get a 1-2 finish. This was Damon's first win since leaving Williams. He finished the season in sixth place in the Drivers' Championship. Jordan finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship, their best result ever.
Hopes were high for 1999, but Damon had a difficult season. He struggled with the new four-grooved tires. His new teammate, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, was faster. After a crash in Canada, Damon said he planned to retire at the end of the year. He even thought about quitting right away after a race in France.
Jordan convinced Damon to stay at least for the British Grand Prix. He finished fifth at his home race and decided to finish the year. His best results for the rest of the season were two sixth-place finishes. Damon's last race was the Japanese Grand Prix. He spun off the track and retired, saying he was mentally tired.
Life After Racing
After retiring from racing, Damon Hill stayed involved with cars and motorsport. He helped start a private car club called P1 International. He also owned a BMW and an Audi car dealership.
In April 2006, Damon became the President of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC). He helped make sure that Silverstone Circuit would continue to host Formula One races for many years. This allowed Silverstone to get major upgrades.
He has also helped guide the career of other racing drivers, like Steven Kane. In 2009, he received an honorary award from the University of Northampton.
Damon has appeared in many British TV shows. He was in a TV advert for Pizza Hut with F1 commentator Murray Walker. He has also raced cars and motorbikes at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In 2002, he drove a two-seater F1 car at Donington Park.
In June 2018, Damon Hill became the President of the Brooklands Trust Members. This group supports the Brooklands Museum. In 2016, he published his autobiography, Watching the Wheels.
Broadcasting Career
Damon Hill 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 filled in as a commentator for ITV F1 in 2007 and 2008.
In 2012, British Sky Broadcasting hired Damon to join their Formula One team on Sky Sports F1. He worked as an expert commentator and analyst. He resigned from Sky Sports F1 after the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. In March 2025, it was announced that Damon would be a commentator for BBC radio's Formula One coverage starting in 2025.
Music Interests
Damon Hill loved music from a young age. He formed a punk band called "Hormones" with friends in school. After becoming successful in Formula One, he played guitar with famous musicians. These included his friend George Harrison. He also played on a song called "Demolition Man" by the band Def Leppard.
Damon often played music at the British Grand Prix with other Formula One musicians. After he retired from racing in 1999, he spent more time on music. He played with celebrity bands and formed his own band, The Conrods. The Conrods played cover versions of songs by bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Since becoming president of the BRDC in 2006, Damon says he has been too busy to play guitar.
Images for kids
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Hill in 2012
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Hill's helmet
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Hill's FW16 (1994) and FW15C (1993)
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Damon Hill at the 1995 French Grand Prix
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Damon Hill driving for Williams in Montreal in 1995
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Hill demonstrating his championship-winning Williams FW18 car in 2010
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At the 1997 British Grand Prix, Hill scored his first point for the Arrows team.
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Damon Hill's Arrows A18 leading the 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix.
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Hill driving for Jordan at the 1999 British Grand Prix
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Hill in 2008
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Hill (left) working as a presenter for Sky Sports F1
