Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill ( * February 15, 1929 in Hampstead, London, † November 29, 1975 in Arkley, London Borough of Barnet ) was a British racing driver. He started 1958-1975 at 175 Grand Prix in Formula 1 and twice won the world title. So far the only racer he won the so-called Triple Crown of Motorsport, a fictitious title of honor includes victories at the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indy 500. Hills only son Damon won the 1996 world champion in Formula 1 For the Hills are so far the only racing dynasty, who ascended the throne of the highest class of motorsports in the father and son.
Career
Hills racing career began in the relatively advanced age of nearly 30 years and in a roundabout way. After an apprenticeship at the instrument manufacturer Smiths as well as a service in the Navy, he began in the late 1950s as a mechanic at Colin Chapman's Lotus team. In 1960 he transferred as a driver to B.R.M. 1962 and won the World Cup. Back at Lotus Hill in 1967 was instrumental in testing the new Lotus type 49 with the Ford - Cosworth engine at. After the beginning of 1968 were killed in an accident at Lotus of the two -time world champion Jim Clark on the Hockenheimring and Mike Spence at the tests for the Indianapolis 500, Hill was able to build the morale of the team again and win his second world title.
The year 1969 continued to be overshadowed by accidents. They usually went back to technical problems that resulted from the lightweight construction of Chapman's car. Grotesque -looking wing structures reinforced the risks before the rules were changed. The 40 -year-old Hill survived an accident at Watkins Glen with serious leg fractures. After recovering he continued his career, but was unable to repeat his earlier successes. Although he still won on a Brabham not for the World Cup scoring F1 race and in 1972 with Matra in Le Mans, but he could not qualify end up in Monaco, where he had won five times.
After an unsuccessful season as a privateer driver of a Shadow DN1 Hill founded in late 1973 with vehicles of Lola under the name Embassy Hill his own team. The company, however, was dogged by bad luck. At the race in Barcelona in 1975 crashed Rolf Stommelen difficult, many spectators died. Hill was in the same year do not qualify for the Grand Prix of Monaco, and then stepped back from active racing.
End of November 1975 overthrew the Piper Aztec that Hill had bought from the prize money for the Indy 500 and even piloted, while approaching the airport Elstree in dense fog covering the town of Arkley, North London, from. In addition to Hill, five other members of the Embassy -Hill team were killed, among them Tony Brise, a great British Formula 1 hope.
The family were left high debt. Hill was married to Bette since 1955. The couple had three children, the son Damon was 1996 Williams -Renault champion. He took over doing the design characteristics of the black helmet of his father, refer to the white rudder on the London Rowing Club.