Damon Hill

[khyndart in CA]

When Nico Rosberg recently became the 2016 Formula One world champion it was the second time that a father and son combination had both been F 1 World Champions. Nico and Keke Rosberg were preceded by Graham and Damon Hill.
I remember growing up and seeing the photos of young Damon with his father and was envious of what a wonderful life that would be and how easy it would be for him to get into motor racing but due to a terrible tragedy it was not that way at all.
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In this great 1961 photo it shows Damon entertaining Bruce McLaren, Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, Graham Hill, Jo Bonnier and Wolfgang Von Trips ( shortly before he died at Monza that year)

Later in 1967 here is Damon steering his dad's Team Lotus type 33 along pit lane. (The envy of every young lad !)

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(Ken Hyndman)

[Steve Holmes]

Great thread Ken. I've always liked Damon, and even now really enjoy his views on the sport and life in general.

[Michael Clark]

Damon's new book 'Watching the Wheels' is a ripper

[khyndart in CA]

Whoops.
Perhaps I should hold off as I do not want to spoil or interfere with what's in the new book..

Michael,
Did you read this book about Damon ?
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Ken

[Michael Clark]

No Ken - when did it come out?

[ERC]

Looking at the first photograph, reminds me of 1961, when we schoolboys all had plain khaki, ex-army surplus haversacks (forerunners to today's back packs). It was customary to decorate them. I decorated mine with 'Tony Brooks - BRM' as a long time fan - then two weeks later, he retired...

I then switched my allegiance to Graham Hill and years later, named my only son Stewart Graham, after Jackie and Graham of course.

Loved the humour of Graham Hill (as did many Brits) and was a supporter of Damon when he started in cars. I have a framed, signed, action photograph of Damon on the wall leading into my office and a large framed Michael Turner limited edition print of Graham at the 1962 German GP, in the lounge, alongside the print of Gonzales in the V16 BRM, exiting the Goodwood chicane.

Golden years the early 1960's, when I devoured every word written about F1.

[Michael Clark]

Completely off topic, I met a guy in a pub once whose name was Stewart Clark McLaren. I assumed he was interested in motor racing - "No I'm not particularly - but my father is..."

Ray - were you aware CASB came to NZ a few yeas ago?

[khyndart in CA]

Michael,
That book came out in 1994 and later with a
2nd Edition.
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This is a quick synopsis.
"Starting with his childhood, as the only son of double World Champion Graham Hill, this book charts the racing career of Damon Hill right through to the dramatic 1994 season. It fully examines the controversies and rancour that dogged the Hill-Schumacher battle for the 1994 World Championship, up to the final race in Adelaide, and chronicles the events of 1994, including Ayrton Senna's tragic death, and how Hill was thrown into the premier driver role in only his second full season in Formula 1. The author follows Hill's racing career, from starting on motorcycles in 1979, via FF1600 and then Formula 3000 programmes, to working as the Williams test driver in 1993 when he was promoted after Nigel Mansell's defection to IndyCar. It analyzes Hill's personality, and how coping as a teenager with his father's sudden death, and more recently with the birth of his Downs Syndrome son, helped shape his down-to-earth approach to life. "

(Ken H)

[Michael Clark]

Thanks Ken - I now realise why I don't have it...

If I have a biography or autobiography about a driver done before their career is over, it is generally because it has been given to me. I generally don't like incomplete stories.

Having said that, I've just written one...the last chapter of my Ken Smith book is simply called 'To be Continued' - on the basis that despite being 75, he ain't done yet!

[khyndart in CA]

Michael,
Thanks so much for all you have done for NZ motor racing. Ken Smith may well outlast all of us !
I have to add your book to my " Required Reading" list.

BTW. What was the event that you were at in Hamilton with all the other great NZ drivers etc and Damon Hill was there also, a few years ago ?

(Ken )

[paul lancaster]

Michael,
Thanks so much for all you have done for NZ motor racing. Ken Smith may well outlast all of us !
I have to add your book to my " Required Reading" list.

BTW. What was the event that you were at in Hamilton with all the other great NZ drivers etc and Damon Hill was there also, a few years ago ?

(Ken )

I was lucky enough to meet damon at levels, I think 2011/12 season, he was out here running his boy josh in the trs.enquired about his first ever wings and slicks car, the argo, which is owned by steve donaldson from chch, had a good chat with him.

[khyndart in CA]

I have not had the pleasure to meet Damon but I did meet his dad at the first Long Beach race, late September 1975.
He was there to watch his promising protégé, Tony Brise show his great skills at the Inaugural LBGP in a Theodore Racing Lola F5000.
Tony's only problem that weekend was the failure of drive shafts on the demanding street circuit.
This photo shows Graham Hill studying the first driveshaft that broke in the first practice session. Tony Brise is looking on along with his wife Janet and race mechanic,Julian Randles is on the right.
Only the broken driveshaft was replaced and it was the other one that broke during the race while Tony was leading comfortably.
If only both could have been replaced at the time who knows what the final result would have been.
I was just a 'gofer' thanks to Graham Donaldson for letting me in but later on Sunday after the racing we had loaded the Lola onto the open transporter (Loaned by Lothar Motschenbacher ) and started to make our way away from the circuit. I had leapt onto the back to hold the car and suddenly Graham Hill had joined me and treated me like I knew what I was doing and chatted away about "That Tony is bloody great isn't he ?". He was so full of enthusiasm after what had been a hard year and the future was so promising. I was so thrilled that Graham Hill was just talking to me.
It came as a great shock when my father in-law called me just two months later, November 1975 to inform me that Graham Hill's plane had crashed but there was uncertainty about who else was on board the flight. It was even a greater shock that Tony was also among the victims but relieved that my friend, Graham Donaldson had stayed in London.
Poor Damon was just 15 at the time.

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L to R
Tony Brise, Janet Brise, Graham Hill and Julian Randles. Sept. 27th 1975. Long Beach.


(Ken Hyndman photo )

[Grant Sprague]

I have not had the pleasure to meet Damon but I did meet his dad at the first Long Beach race, late September 1975.
He was there to watch his promising protégé, Tony Brise show his great skills at the Inaugural LBGP in a Theodore Racing Lola F5000.
Tony's only problem that weekend was the failure of drive shafts on the demanding street circuit.
This photo shows Graham Hill studying the first driveshaft that broke in the first practice session. Tony Brise is looking on along with his wife Janet and race mechanic,Julian Randles is on the right.
Only the broken driveshaft was replaced and it was the other one that broke during the race while Tony was leading comfortably.
If only both could have been replaced at the time who knows what the final result would have been.
I was just a 'gofer' thanks to Graham Donaldson for letting me in but later on Sunday after the racing we had loaded the Lola onto the open transporter (Loaned by Lothar Motschenbacher ) and started to make our way away from the circuit. I had leapt onto the back to hold the car and suddenly Graham Hill had joined me and treated me like I knew what I was doing and chatted away about "That Tony is bloody great isn't he ?". He was so full of enthusiasm after what had been a hard year and the future was so promising. I was so thrilled that Graham Hill was just talking to me.
It came as a great shock when my father in-law called me just two months later, November 1975 to inform me that Graham Hill's plane had crashed but there was uncertainty about who else was on board the flight. It was even a greater shock that Tony was also among the victims but relieved that my friend, Graham Donaldson had stayed in London.
Poor Damon was just 15 at the time.

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L to R
Tony Brise, Janet Brise, Graham Hill and Julian Randles. Sept. 27th 1975. Long Beach.


(Ken Hyndman photo )Thank you Ken , I had seen this before but is a really great photo & little story , its interesting how we never forget life time events like this , I was living in queens way London sw1 when they had that plane crash , we were later in a local pub that night & I asked the dj to do a one minute silence for Graham & his team , a sad time ... On a brighter note , you have a great xmas big brother , Grant

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks Grant. Merry Christmas to one and all.
I have to admit I felt I was a curse on F1 champions so I have stayed away from them.
2 months after I talked to Graham Hill he dies.
6 weeks after I talk to Denny Hulme at Laguna Seca in August 1992 he dies at Bathurst !
Should I seek guidance or just get over it ?
Ken

[Terry S]

Damon Hill released a book a few moths ago titled "My Autobiography"

A classic case of tautology.

[khyndart in CA]

Damon's parents did not encourage him to enter the world of motor racing as he grew up,but he did enjoy getting out on a motorbike as seen here in a 1975 photo with his dad.
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After Graham's death the Hill family was left in a tough financial situation and Damon started work as a builder's laborer and later as a motor cycle courier to help pay his way through school.
He started to compete first in motor cycle racing about 1980 and although he showed promise his mother, Bette, wanted him to race on 4 wheels instead of 2.
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Damon Hill competing on a Kawasaki at Donington Park. 1980.


(Ken H)

[GD66]

On a TZ350 @ Clearways.

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[Grant Sprague]

Ken , no you do not need guidance .....shit does happen , when we look at Hills plane crash , perhaps he could have calculated a better landing strip or an other day to fly in ? as For Denny he had a not so good ticker way before Bathurst & did not like meds I know one of his best mates very well ....

[khyndart in CA]

Damon moved on from bikes to racing Formula Fords and he showed his skills during the 1985 British Formula Ford series driving a "Manadient Racing" Van Diemen and won six races.
Here is a brief clip showing the exciting FF racing at Brands Hatch and Damon Hill winning a preliminary race at the 1985 Formula Ford Festival.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1YhaG7DQbM


(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

Another view of Damon at Brands Hatch with his Formula Ford.
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Damon, like his dad was into his twenties before he raced competitively, both worked as mechanics etc. at Brands Hatch and both had little financial support to begin with but they had heaps of ability.
Graham would race his own "Speedwell" Austin A35 until Colin Chapman had him drive a Lotus.
Here is Graham Hill at Silverstone in 1958 in his A35.
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(Ken Hyndman )

[ERC]

My Christmas reading so far is Damon's latest autobiography (2016). Interesting observations about his parents and his depression after giving up racing.

[khyndart in CA]

I admired Damon at the time of the 1994 Imola Grand Prix where Ayrton Senna had just died in a crash in his Williams FW 16 and not knowing the cause of the crash, Damon went out on the restart in his Williams FW 16 and was battling Schumacher for the lead then touched wheels with Michael and dropped to last and fought his way back to finish sixth. It took a brave man to do that.
As Frank Williams and Patrick Head said of Damon; "He's a tough bastard and has a fierce inner spirit. "

Damon Hill and Ayrton Senna with the Williams FW 16 before the start of the 1994 Formula One season.
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(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

The closest I came to meeting Damon was in June 1996 when he had left the day before to go to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.
I had worked with Patrick Head at Trojan in 1973 and this was the first time we had met up since then. We found our way to the Williams headquarters and Patrick showed my son Sean and I around and was very patient with our questions etc as this was probably one of the most successful periods in the history of Williams Grand Prix Engineering. They finished 1-2 in Canada and also at the next Grand Prix in France. It was a golden period for them and Patrick was in good form and very friendly. It was a shame that Damon would not be with the team for 1997.
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(I know this is a repeat but it goes with the story. Hyndman & Patrick Head in the Williams F1 showroom, FW 14s on the left and FW 16s on the right. June 12, 1996 )

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A young man's dream. I wish we could have stayed longer but had to meet our daughter in the Lake District that afternoon.
Sean with the spare Williams F1 FW 17. June 1996. )


(Ken Hyndman photos )

[khyndart in CA]

Damon Hill and Patrick Head in 1995. (Frank Williams and Adrian Newey in the background.)
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(Ken Hyndman album )

[khyndart in CA]

In 1996 Damon won 8 of the 16 rounds of the Formula One Season to be the World Champion in a Williams FW 18 designed by Adrian Newey powered by a Renault engine. By the end of the season Damon would be gone, Adrian Newey left and Renault would only be used for one more season. So much for the certainties of Formula One !
This is how the news was reported in 1996 by the "Independent" newspaper in England.
News
Damon Hill fired by Williams
Sunday 1 September 1996

"The Independent "
Damon Hill, who is poised to win the Formula One drivers' world championship, has been dropped by his Williams- Renault team for next season.
It was revealed yesterday that Frank Williams, the team's leader, had ended negotiations over a new contract with Hill last week. The British driver had been seeking an improvement to his present 12-month deal, believed to be worth $7.5m (pounds 5m), and was understood to be requesting $12m.
It had been rumoured that Williams was not prepared to go beyond $8m, but it became clear yesterday that money had not been the key issue. Hill's representative, Michael Breen, said that the driver had been prepared to continue negotiating, but Williams had decided to end the talks.
It is believed Williams may have been planning for some time to replace Hill. According to sources inside Formula One, Williams agreed a deal last year with the German driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen to drive for his team next year.

If Hill wins the championship - he leads by 13 points, with three races remaining - he will be the fourth Williams driver to leave the team with the world title in the past nine years, following Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost."

( Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

Due to accidents to Aryton Senna and Mika Hakkinen in 1994 and 1995, the F1 cars changed their designs around cockpit safety among other things and the difference can be noted here between Damon's Brabham BT 60B in 1992 and the 1996 Williams FW 18.
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Damon Hill at Silverstone in 1992.

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Damon Hill at the 1996 Hungarian Grand Prix.



(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

As I did not follow Damon after the 1996 season I am signing off on this thread and will leave the later chapters to those who know their stuff.
At least Damon, even knowing he was finished at Williams during the last 3 F1 races in 1996 gave it his best and went out in style at the Japanese Grand Prix, October 13th 1996 at Suzuka.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFsD9NElDa4&spfreload=10


(Ken Hyndman )

[Michael Clark]

Interesting to be reminded how much of Damon is sticking out of that pink Brabham, and how little of him is visible in the Williams only four years later.