F1-PHIL HILL DIES
- 27 May 2013
It is with regret that we report that 1961 World Drivers Champion Phil Hill has passed away at the age of 81. Phil had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for the last few years
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"It's a sad day," Carroll Shelby, a close friend of Hill's, told the LA Times. "Phil was an excellent race car driver with a unique feel for the car, and his real expertise was in long-distance racing."
Hill was born in Miami, Florida, on April 20th 1927. His family soon moved to Santa Monica, California, and the state would become his American home for most of his life. He studied business administration in university, but never finished his degree, getting drawn into the world of motor racing initially driving an offy midget in the late 40’s before purchasing a XK120 Jaguar with which he began a long and stellar sports car career.
He soon switched to Ferrari and had won such races as the Sebring 12 Hour and Carrera Panamericana before being given his chance with the works squad in Europe.
Despite his ties to Ferrari Phil made his Grand Prix debut in Jo Bonnier’s privately entered Maserati 250F at the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims finishing seventh. By the end of 1958 he had entered four GPs for Ferrari finishing 3rd at both Monza and Morocco and had also won the first of his three Le Mans 24 Hours victories.
In 1959 and 1960 Phil continued to impress in the front engined Ferrari GP car despite the fact that the “Rear Engined Revolution” was well under way and finally won his first GP at Monza in 1960.
When Ferrari’s first rear engined car, the sublime 156 “Sharknose” arrived for the 1961 season Phil, and team-mate Wolfgang von Trips, would dominate the season. In just seven races Hill claimed pole position on four occasions and scored victories at Spa and Monza where he was crowned World Drivers Champion. It was in this last event that his greatest moment of triumph was clouded with sadness as Von Trips had been killed in an accident with Jim Clark early in the race.
Phil continued in Formula One for just another three years with Ferrari, A.T.S. and Cooper without scoring any further victories. His success in sports cars however continued unabated with two more wins at Le Mans in 1961 and 1962 with Ferrari before he joined up with Jim Hall in the Chaparral. He scored more top line wins in the pretty white car including the Nurburgring 1000 in 1966 and in his very last international race, the 1967 B.O.A.C. 500 at Brands Hatch.
After retiring from racing, Hill continued his involvement in the motor racing world through long-running work for Road & Track magazine, and as tour host with Grand Prix Tours. He continued going to Formula One races several times a year and was a regular and much loved face in the paddock.
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In recent years he has made a number of appearances at both the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Revival meeting where he was always a crowd favorite with his wonderful story telling and charm. Unlike many of the modern “heroes” he was not afraid to get his hands dirty and was often seen working on his own cars in the Goodwood paddock. “You’d never see Schumacher doing that.” was an often repeated comment.
Always a gentleman, Phil was much admired and respected in the motor racing world. He is survived by his wife Alma, son Derek, daughters Vanessa and Jennifer, and four grandchildren.
He will be missed.