Damon Hill is perhaps a very underrated driver. Many attribute his success in Formula 1 to being the son of Graham Hill or from driving the best car. Of course the truth, which I'll present to you through short review of Damon's career, is totally different.
Born on the 17th of September 1960, Damon was involved in the world of motorsport
right from the start as his father, Graham, was a successful racer who in his time
won two World Champions, the Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 hours. Meanwhile, Damon wasn't
impressed. To him it was normal, and "boring adult stuff". Unlike most Formula 1
Damon pestered his father to get him one, and shortly after he got his wish.
drivers who start their careers very early with karts, Damon's was later on a
motor bike. At the age of 11 he tried a 50cc Honda monkey bike and he was immediately
hooked. His real enthusiasm for speed however started when he was allowed to try out his
Dad's 350cc Bultaco off-road bike.
It wasn't until 1981 that Damon started racing bikes seriously. In 1984 with funds low Damon chose to concentrate on the Brands Hatch track, and his efforts paid off. Scoring over 40 wins he became "Champion of Brands" on a Yamaha. Afther that he turning his attention to Formula Ford 1600. He managed a first place and finished fifth in the end. And next season Damon continue with good results, racing against other future Formula 1 drivers Mark Blundell, Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot, Damon won 6 races, finishing third in the Esso FF1600 and fifth in the Townsend Thoresen Championships. He also got third place in the Formula Ford festival.
The "normal" path is to progress from FF1600 to
FF2000 and then Formula 3, but Damon decided to bypass the 2000 series and go
straight onto F3. It was a risk which didn't pay off. Damon finished ninth in the
1986 British Formula 3 Championship. 1987 saw him win two races and finish fifth,
and then in 1988 he won the British GP support race and went on to finish third in the
Championship. After being stuck in Formula 3 for three years Damon desperately
wanted to move up to Formula 3000. In that time he having married long-time
girlfriend Georgie. Japanese Footwork team offered him to drive in the International
F3000 series and Damon accepted. The catch was that the car was next to useless.
However Damon managed to qualify it for every race, and many people sit up and
wonder what he could do in a competitive car. 1990 he moved to the Middlebridge team
and led over 50 per cent of the races, starting most of them from the front row
(including three consecutive pole positions). Sadly, mechanical retirements meant
Damon's best result was 2nd at Brands Hatch. Clearly his joint-13th position in
the Championship did not reflect his driving ability.
In 1991 Damon continued to give it his all,
and even though the Formula 3000 car was worse than the previous year's. Damon
drive for Lola team and he is only driver to lead a race. This attitude was exactly
what Frank Williams was looking for in a test driver for his Formula 1 team, and
so it was that Damon took over the role of Mark Blundell. Damon fitted into the
team perfectly and immediately began to impress (some have been rumoured to say that
he was Williams'best test driver ever).
In 1992 whilst still testing for Williams, Damon got the opportunity to drive for the Brabham F1 team. They were having financial difficulties and Damon was just the sort of driver they needed - one that would perform to his maximum under difficult circumstances without complaining. Damon made his Formula 1 debut at the British Grand Prix and finished the race in 16th and would also finish 11th in Hungary. With a car that had only started one race that year, Damon qualified twice, and finished both races.
Nigel Mansell had won the 1992 Championship by crushing his opposition, however
Frank Williams had signed Alain Prost for 1993 and having experienced him as a
team-mate at Ferrari, Mansell left Williams for the American IndyCar series, there
was a spare seat up for grabs - and Damon wanted it. Damon had matured considerably
as a driver in 1992, and it was enough
to impress the team to give him the drive.
Damon was quick to tell the press not to expect too much of him, but sadly they
billed him as The Next Nigel Mansell. At the start of season Damon demonstrate his
great potential, in the second race in Brasil Damon finished second behind Senna
and scoring his first World Championship points. In the next few races Damon has
some problems and not manage to finish it, but after that he had "hat - trick" of
wins in Hungary, Belgium and Italy.In his first full Formula 1 season Damon had
scored 69 World Championship points, three wins, and two Pole Positions. Finishing
third in the Championship, he was bettered only by Prost and Senna, arguably the
best drivers at that time.
1994 Alain Prost had announced his
retirement from Formula 1 after winning his fourth World Championship because
he - like Mansell the year before,
and there was a free seat next to Damon. Because Williams want only the best
Damon's team -mate become the great Brazilian Ayrton Senna. Meanwhile, this
season would be remember like one of the most tragical in history of F1. The
"black weekend" in San Marino took two lives, Roland Rotzenberger at the training
and one of the most popular driver in F1 Ayrton Senna on the race. The next
race in Monaco also was tragical. On that track which Senna had won for the
past five years, Carl Wendlinger had accident and he would be in a coma for
a month. Damon was Williams' only driver on that race. For a few next races
Damon's team-mate was David Coulthard, until come back Nigel Mansell. In the
second season in F1 Damon was a step near to win World Championship. In the
last race in Australia was battle for the Champioship, question was Hill or
Schumaher. On that race Schumaher literally "push out" Damon from the track
in the moment when Damon try to pass him. The race was over for both and the
Championship settled. Schumaher win World Championship with one point ahead
Damon Hill. In his second season in F1 Damon can manage to score 91 World
Championship points, 6 wins, and two Pole Positions, Williams win the Constructors
Championship.
1995 Damon's team-mate was David Coulthard, who had shown great potential
last year. On the first race in the season Damon took the Pole and announce his
champions ambitions, but he hasn't luck on the race and abandon it. The second race
in the season in Argentina and the first win for Damon.
Spain would prove to be
disastrous for Damon as on the final lap when running a comfortable second behind
Schumacher, his car would suffer from hydraulic problems that would see him coast
across the line in fourth. The fact that he had set the fastest race lap was of no
consolation. Damon dominated qualifying at Monaco, taking Pole by nearly 0.8 seconds
at a track where it is so important as over-taking is almost impossible.Strategy
of Bennetin team of stopping only once was the superior one and Damon was forced
to settle for second. In this season 4 wins (Argentina, Italy, Hungary, Australia),
7 Pole Positions, 4 Fastest Laps and 69 World Championship points had been added
to Damon's Formula 1 career total, but this season was season of Michael Schumaher
and Benneton.
1996 Frank Williams had selected IndyCar
World Champion Jacques Villeneuve to partner Damon Hill. Damon has excellent start
of the season and took the Pole
in the first race in Australia. The good start for
entire team confirmed and after race, on the podium was Damon as first and Jacques
assecond. Next race same story, Damon took Pole by nearly a second advantage. The
star of the weekend was Damon, who crushed his opposition by taking Pole, Fastest
Lap, and a dominant Race Victory. In next race in Argentina Williams show his
superiority with double win, Damon as first, Jacques as second with another Pole
for Damon.Damon had scored maximum points in all three races. In the next race
Damon was second, but he come back on the first position in San Marino. Damon win
and in the German GP and disappointened home "tiffosi" who have a great hope for
Michael Schumaher. Everydody knew, this is season of Damon Hill. His team-mate
Villenneuve is only who can resist him. Season finished as it started. At the last
racein Japan Damon win and win the World Championship. With his 8th victory in a
season which saw him score 97 points, 5 fastest laps and a record 16 front-row
starts (including 9 Pole Positions), Damon claimed that which he had fought so
long and hard for and thoroughly deserved. He was World Champion.
1997 Williams continue his tradition to
change drivers who win Championship, and Damon moved to the Arrows team. Damon with
a mostly new team, a new car, new Bridgestone tyres, and a somewhat under-powered
and unreliable Yamaha engine, nobody knew just quite where the car would end up on
the field except that it wouldn't be at the front - not for the first part of the
season anyway. However, Damon has a lot of problems. In first race he can hardly
to qualified, and on the race he has more problems with the car (in warm up lap),
and ending his Australian Grand Prix before it had even begun. Problems for Damon
continued during season, because of that Damon hasn't realy chanse to defend
his title winning last year. Retirements from 9 races and a myriad of technical
problems meant a lowly 13th in the final table with 7 points.
1998 Damon Hill moved to Jordan GP
team. That team I like even before Damon arrival, and afther that Jordan Grand
prix is 
my favorite F1 team. The special charm for team come up from owner the Irishman
Eddie Jordan, and from team simply "air" optimism. Damon's team-mate is Ralph
Schumaher, younger brouther of famous Michael.
In first half of season Damon
took palces beetwen 6 and 10, because of some worse car which he drove. In
the second half of season team improve aerodynamics on the car, and get a
more powerful engine from Mugen-Honda, and then starts winning points for
Damon nad Jordan. In Germany and Hungary Damon was fourth. In Belgium he won
and that the first win for Jordan GP. At the end of season Jordan took the
4th place in the Constructors Championship was the highest the team had achieved.
Dmon took the 6th place in the Drivers Championship and proved again that
he was still competitive.
1999 Damon decided to stay in Jordan GP. His
team-mate was another ex Williams' driver Heintz Harald Frentzen. In the first race
in season Damon driving his 100's race in F1, but he hasn't any luck.
He was push
out from the track by Jarno Trulli, and points for Jordan won Frentzen who took
second place. After few abandon races Damon took fourth place in San Marino. On
the 16th of June Damon announced that he would retire at the end of 1999 season.
It was a sad day for the sport, but at least it ended all the speculation and
suggestions. Tributes came from many people, Michael Schumacher's being especially
poignant. A long time rival of Damon, Michael said: "I was very surprised when I
heard that Damon was retiring. It's a real pity for F1. Despite his age, Damon was
still going strong. I think he will be a loss to the sport. We had some great and
interesting battles on the track." After that announcement Damon have a few good
results, fifth place in British GP, sixth place in Hungary and Belguim, and a few
abandon races. However, 1999 season was season which Damon willn't remember gladly
except some great performance.
At the end we can say that Damon's career had been a highly successful one, made even more impressive by its short duration and his late start.
In just 115 races he had amassed 22 Wins, 20 Pole Positions, 19 Fastest Laps and 360 points. 42 Podiums, 47 Front Row Starts and - of course - his 1996 World Championship further cemented his name in the record books as one of Formula 1's all time greats, and, as a true sportsman.
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