Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and team owner from England, who was the Formula One World Champion twice. He is the only driver ever to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport—the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. He also appeared on TV in the 1970s on a variety of non-sporting programmes including panel games. He liked painting in his spare time.
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.
Hill and five other members of the Embassy Hill team died in 1975 when the aeroplane he was piloting from France crashed in fog at night on Arkley golf course while attempting to land at Elstree Airfield in north London.
Early life
Born in Hampstead, London, Hill attended Hendon Technical College and joined Smiths Instruments as an apprentice engineer. He was conscripted into the Royal Navy and served as an Engine Room Artificer on the light cruiser HMS Swiftsure, rising to the rank of petty officer. After leaving the Navy he rejoined Smiths Instruments.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!" He had been interested in motorcycles but in 1954 he saw an advertisement for the Universal Motor Racing Club at Brands Hatch offering laps for 5 shillings. He made his debut in a Cooper 500 Formula 3 car and was committed to racing thereafter. Hill joined Team Lotus as a mechanic soon after but quickly talked his way into the cockpit. The Lotus presence in Formula One allowed him to make his debut at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, retiring with a halfshaft failure.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. 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.
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.
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." 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."
Upon recovery Hill continued to race in F1 for several more years, but never again with the same level of success. Colin Chapman, believing Hill was a spent force, placed him in Rob Walker's team for 1970, sweetening the deal with one of the brand-new Lotus 72 cars. Although Hill scored points in 1970 he started the season far from fully fit and the 72 was not fully developed until late in the season. Hill moved to Brabham for 1971-2; his last win in Formula One was in the non-Championship International Trophy at Silverstone in 1971 with the "lobster claw" Brabham. The team was in flux after the retirements of Sir Jack Brabham and then Ron Tauranac's sale to Bernie Ecclestone; Hill did not settle there.
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, when recovering from his 1969 accident. A second autobiography, which covered his career up until his retirement from racing simply called Graham was published posthumously in 1976. A staunch campaigner for road safety, Hill appeared in a television series entitled Advanced Driving with Graham Hill which was shown in early 1975. A book accompanying the series giving advice on safer and responsible driving was co-written by him. Hill was also irreverently immortalized on a Monty Python episode, in which a Gumby appears asking to "see John the Baptist's impersonation of Graham Hill." The head of St. John the Baptist appears on a silver platter, which runs around the floor making putt-putt noises of a race car engine.
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.
Although Hill had concentrated on F1 he also maintained a presence in sports car racing throughout his career. 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, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix, or
- the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship.
Hill set up his own team in 1973: Embassy Hill with sponsorship from Imperial Tobacco. The team used chassis from Shadow and Lola before evolving the Lola into its own design in 1975. After failing to qualify for the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix, where he had won five times, Hill retired from driving to concentrate on running the team and supporting his protege Tony Brise.
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.
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, Damon, who himself later became Formula One World Champion—the first son of a former world champion to emulate his father.The family lived in Mill Hill during the 1960s. The house now features an English Heritage blue plaque. During the early 1970s, Hill moved to Lyndhurst House in Shenley. The house is now owned by musician Jeff Wayne Well known for throwing extravagent parties at his houses to which most of the Grand Prix paddock and other famous guests attended, Hill was universally popular.
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.
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.
Death
Hill died on 29 November 1975 at the controls of his Piper PA-23 Aztec twin-engine light aircraft when it crashed near Arkley, Hertfordshire, while on a night approach to Elstree Airfield in thick fog. On board with him were five other members of the Embassy Hill team who all died: manager Ray Brimble, mechanics Tony Alcock and Terry Richards, driver Tony Brise, and designer Andy Smallman. The party was returning from a car-testing session at the Paul Ricard Circuit in southern France.The subsequent investigation revealed that Hill's aircraft, originally registered in the US as had been removed from the FAA register and at the time of the accident was "unregistered and stateless", despite still displaying its original markings. Furthermore, Hill's American FAA pilot certification had expired, as had his instrument rating. His UK IMC rating, which would have permitted him to fly in the weather conditions that prevailed at the time, was also out of date and invalid. Hill was effectively uninsured. The investigation into the crash was ultimately inconclusive, but pilot error was deemed the most likely explanation.
Hill's funeral was held at St Albans Abbey, and he is buried at St Botolph's graveyard, Shenleybury in Shenley, Hertfordshire. The church has since been deconsecrated so the tomb now sits in a private garden.
Legacy
After his death, Silverstone village, home to the track of the same name, named a road, Graham Hill, after him 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. In Bourne, Lincolnshire, where Hill's former team BRM is based, a road called Graham Hill Way is named in his honour. Also a nursery school in Lusevera, Italy, was named in his honour.Career results
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Pts | |
| Team Lotus | Lotus 12 | Climax FPF 2.0 L4 | ARG | MON Ret | NED Ret | 500 | BEL Ret | NC | 0 | |||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 16 | Climax FPF 2.2 L4 | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | POR Ret | ITA 6 | MOR 16 | NC | 0 | |||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 16 | Climax FPF 1.5 L4 | GER Ret | NC | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 16 | Climax FPF 2.5 L4 | MON Ret | 500 | NED 7 | FRA Ret | GBR 9 | GER Ret | POR Ret | ITA Ret | USA | NC | 0 | |||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P25 | BRM P25 2.5 L4 | ARG Ret | 15th | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P48 | BRM P25 2.5 L4 | MON 7 | 500 | NED 3 | BEL Ret | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | POR Ret | ITA | USA Ret | 15th | 4 | |||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P48/57 | Climax FPF 1.5 L4 | MON Ret | NED 8 | BEL Ret | FRA 6 | GBR Ret | GER Ret | ITA Ret | USA 5 | 16th | 3 | ||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P57 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | NED 1 | MON 6 | BEL 2 | FRA 9 | GBR 4 | GER 1 | ITA 1 | USA 2 | RSA 1 | 1st | 42 | |||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P57 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | MON 1 | BEL Ret | NED Ret | GBR 3 | GER Ret | USA 1 | MEX 4 | RSA 3 | 2nd | 29 | ||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P61 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | FRA 3 | ITA 16 | 2nd | 29 | ||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P261 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | MON 1 | NED 4 | BEL 5 | FRA 2 | GBR 2 | GER 2 | AUT Ret | ITA Ret | USA 1 | MEX 11 | 2nd | 39 | ||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P261 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | RSA 3 | MON 1 | BEL 5 | FRA 5 | GBR 2 | NED 4 | GER 2 | ITA 2 | USA 1 | MEX Ret | 2nd | 40 | ||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P261 | BRM P60 2.0 V8 | MON 3 | BEL Ret | FRA Ret | GBR 3 | NED 2 | GER 4 | 5th | 17 | ||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P83 | BRM P75 3.0 H16 | ITA Ret | USA Ret | MEX Ret | 5th | 17 | |||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 43 | BRM P75 3.0 H16 | RSA Ret | 7th | 15 | |||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 33 | BRM P60 2.1 V8 | MON 2 | 7th | 15 | |||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 49 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | NED Ret | BEL Ret | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | GER Ret | CAN 4 | ITA Ret | USA 2 | MEX Ret | 7th | 15 | |||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 49 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | RSA 2 | 1st | 48 | |||||||||||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 49 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ESP 1 | 1st | 48 | |||||||||||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 49B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | MON 1 | BEL Ret | NED 9 | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | GER 2 | ITA Ret | CAN 4 | USA 2 | MEX 1 | 1st | 48 | ||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 49B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | RSA 2 | ESP Ret | MON 1 | NED 7 | FRA 6 | GBR 7 | GER 4 | ITA 9 | CAN Ret | USA Ret | MEX | 7th | 19 | |||||
| Rob Walker Racing Team | Lotus 49C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | RSA 6 | ESP 4 | 13th | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Brooke Bond Oxo Racing – Rob Walker | Lotus 49C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | MON 5 | BEL Ret | NED NC | FRA 10 | GBR 6 | GER Ret | AUT | 13th | 7 | |||||||||
| Brooke Bond Oxo Racing – Rob Walker | Lotus 72C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ITA DNS | CAN NC | USA Ret | MEX Ret | 13th | 7 | ||||||||||||
| Motor Racing Developments Ltd | Brabham BT33 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | RSA 9 | 21st | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Motor Racing Developments Ltd | Brabham BT34 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ESP Ret | MON Ret | NED 10 | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | GER 9 | AUT 5 | ITA Ret | CAN Ret | USA 7 | 21st | 2 | ||||||
| Motor Racing Developments Ltd | Brabham BT33 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG Ret | RSA 6 | 15th | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Motor Racing Developments Ltd | Brabham BT37 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ESP 10 | MON 12 | BEL Ret | FRA 10 | GBR Ret | GER 6 | AUT Ret | ITA 5 | CAN 8 | USA 11 | 15th | 4 | ||||||
| Embassy Racing | Shadow DN1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | ESP Ret | BEL 9 | MON Ret | SWE Ret | FRA 10 | GBR Ret | NED NC | GER 13 | AUT Ret | ITA 14 | CAN 16 | USA 13 | NC | 0 | |
| Embassy Racing with Graham Hill | Lola T370 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG Ret | BRA 11 | RSA 12 | ESP Ret | BEL 8 | MON 7 | SWE 6 | NED Ret | FRA 13 | GBR 13 | GER 9 | AUT 12 | ITA 8 | CAN 14 | USA 8 | 18th | 1 | |
| Embassy Racing with Graham Hill | Lola T370 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG 10 | BRA 12 | RSA DNQ | ESP | NC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Embassy Racing with Graham Hill | Hill GH1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | MON DNQ | BEL | SWE | NED | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | ITA | USA | NC | 0 |
Complete Formula One Non-Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper T43 | Climax FPF 1.5 L4 | SYR | PAU | GLV | NAP | RMS | CAE | INT 13 | MOD | MOR | |||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 12 | Climax FPF 2.0 L4 | GLV Ret | SYR | INT 8 | CAE | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 12 | Climax FPF 1.5 L4 | AIN 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 16 | Climax FPF 2.5 L4 | GLV Ret | AIN 11 | INT Ret | OUL 5 | SIL Ret | |||||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P48 | BRM P25 2.5 L4 | GLV 5 | INT 3 | SIL 2 | LOM Ret | OUL 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P48/57 | Climax FPF 1.5 L4 | LOM | GLV 2 | PAU | BRX | VIE | AIN 3 | SYR Ret | NAP | LON | SIL 13 | SOL | KAN | DAN | MOD 7 | FLG | OUL Ret | LEW | VAL | RAN | NAT | RSA | |
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P57 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | CAP | BRX DSQ | LOM 2 | LAV | GLV 1 | PAU | AIN Ret | INT 1 | NAP | RMS 2 | SOL | OUL 2 | MEX | RAN Ret | NAT NC | |||||||
| R.R.C. Walker Racing Team | Lotus 18/21 | Climax FPF 1.5 L4 | MAL 3 | CLP | - | |||||||||||||||||||
| Lotus 24 | Climax FWMV 1.5 V8 | KAN Ret | MED | DAN | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P57 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | LOM 1 | GLV 9 | PAU | IMO | SYR | AIN 1 | INT Ret | ROM | SOL | KAN | MED | AUT | OUL 3 | RAN | ||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P261 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | DMT Ret | NWT Ret | SYR | AIN 2 | INT 2 | SOL Ret | MED | |||||||||||||||
| John Willment Automobiles | Brabham BT11 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | RAN 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P261 | BRM P56 1.5 V8 | ROC Ret | SYR | SMT 2 | INT Ret | MED | RAN | ||||||||||||||||
| Owen Racing Organisation | BRM P83 | BRM P75 3.0 H16 | RSA | SYR | INT | OUL Ret | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 48 | Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4 | ROC | SPR 8 | OUL 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 33 | BRM P60 2.1 V8 | INT 4 | SYR | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Team Lotus | Lotus 49 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ESP 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 49 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC Ret | INT Ret | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 49B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | OUL Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 49B | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC 2 | INT 7 | MAD | |||||||||||||||||||
| Gold Leaf Team Lotus | Lotus 59B | Ford Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4 | OUL Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Rob Walker Racing Team | Lotus 49C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Brooke Bond Oxo Racing – Rob Walker | Lotus 49C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | INT 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Brooke Bond Oxo Racing – Rob Walker | Lotus 72C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | OUL Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Motor Racing Developments Ltd | Brabham BT34 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG | ROC Ret | QUE Ret | SPR | INT 1 | RIN | OUL | VIC 8 | ||||||||||||||
| Motor Racing Developments Ltd | Brabham BT37 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC | BRA | INT 7 | OUL | REP | VIC Ret | ||||||||||||||||
| Embassy Racing | Brabham BT37 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC Ret | INT | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Embassy Racing with Graham Hill | Lola T370 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | PRE | ROC NC | INT Ret | |||||||||||||||||||
| Embassy Racing with Graham Hill | Hill GH1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ROC | INT 11 | SUI |
Complete USAC Championship Car results
Indianapolis 500 results
| Year | Car number | Start | Qual. speed | Speed rank | Finish | Laps completed | Laps led | Race status | Chassis |
| 1966 | 24 | 15 | 159.243 | 23 | 1st | 200 | 10 | Running | Lola-Ford |
| 1967 | 81 | 31 | 163.317 | 21 | 32 | 23 | 0 | Piston | Lotus-Ford 42/B1 |
| 1968 | 70 | 2 | 171.208 | 2 | 19 | 110 | 0 | Crash T2 | Lotus – Pratt&Whitney 56/3 |
| Starts | 3 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Front Row | 1 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Top 5 | 1 |
| Top 10 | 1 |
| Retired | 2 |
- Hill failed to qualify the innovative John Crosthwaite 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.
- 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.
- Hill entered the 1969 Indianapolis 500, but his car 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 | LON 2 | 2nd | 30 |
| 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
- 1963 Rover-BRM ran for the ACO prize for a gas turbine car covering a minimum of 3600 km, not officially classified.
Credits
In 1990, Hill was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
A one-off BBC Four documentary called was first broadcast on 26 May 2008.