Damon hill, English racing driver "Formula 1": biography, sports career

The sports World is cruel: it is champion to finish his career, as well as in its place come the young guys, and about the former leader almost immediately forget. However, there are personalities whose name in history is literally inscribed in Golden letters for many years to come. One such multiple winners of the race is Damon hill, whose biography is and will be considered in this article.

Birth

Future holder of many titles in motor racing was born 17 September 1960 in the UK capital - London. His father is a former champion of «Formula 1» Graham hill. It was the influence of the Pope largely determined the fate of Damon, who is very often on the slopes. We can say that the boy literally grew up behind the wheel. Already at the age of five hill, Jr. sat down to drive a motorcycle, and a few years later the father as a reward for doing well in school got a bike company Honda with an engine of 50 cubic centimeters. Therefore, already during his school years the young man began to take part in motorcycle races, strongly opposed by his mother, believing that the drive is much safer.

Tragedy

The head of the family tragically died when Damon was 15 years old. As the plane driven by the deceased was not insured, the family of hill's was forced to pay for all the lawsuits that have started to present them to relatives of the dead passengers. As a result, Damon hill and his sisters stopped going to an elite school and moved to live in another place.

Youth

At the age of eighteen our hero became a messenger in one of the London offices. However, he regularly took part in races on the ring and “Trial”. In 1981, he met his future wife – Georgia. In addition, Damon hill was at one time the guitarist of “Sex Hitler and the hormones”.

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The Beginning of the racing career

In 1984, he became the winner of motorcycle racing Yamaha TZ350. However, this did not stop him from going to a racing school, where almost immediately he was able to win the first victory, driving a "Formula-Ford-1600". The following year he managed to gain 6 wins and a final to take fifth place in the race "Townsend Thoresen", as well as third place at the festival "Formula Ford".

Participation in more elite races require a lot of money. In this issue of the English race driver was able to rely on friends late father. In particular, George Harrison (former member of the group «Beatles») has regularly supported the young man. But still, cash was only enough for three seasons. The hill Junior high nothing not reached, although every year up the tournament ladder higher and higher. For example, “Formula 3" gave the opportunity to win the bronze medal.

In 1988, he also spent two races in the series "the Formula-3000", then his finances closer to zero. The year 1989 was for Damon even more critical: he had no money to start any business, there was no positive results in the races. Besides his family happened replenishment – had a son, Oliver, who was diagnosed with down syndrome.

White stripe

In mid-1991, the British finally got lucky – he was invited to the team «Williams», which was suddenly a vacancy after the departure of their lead driver in the «McLaren». Thanks to this gift of fortune hill was able to start earning decent money and to calm down a little without fear for the fate of his family and friends.

In 1992, when “Formula 3" was already far behind in his career, Damon was in the team of "Brabham". Working in it, 5 races in a row he could not pass even qualified in the race at Silverstone was the 16th. however, in my personal life also underwent changes: to light a second son, Joshua, who was born completely healthy.

An Unexpected increase

In the Autumn of 1993, Frank Williams said that the pilots of the team will be this season Alain Prost and Damon hill. This post literally shook the entire racing series. No one understood why the newcomer, whom was a Briton, fell such happiness? After all, the most successful at that time, racer will be there to make the pilot, who had not won a single victory in his career! But Frank was relentless, because it was supported by the designers of the team head and Newey. Yes, and very Simple too impressed that his side will be no pretending racer, which heretofore had been ambitious and strong Alesi and Mansell. In addition, the head always opposed the drastic change of the composition of the pilots, wanting to have at least the test in the cage. In short, in the new racing season, hill came absolutely happy with far-reaching plans in my head.

First triumph

Despite not too successful beginning of the season, on 15 August 1993, Damon won his first Grand Prix. It happened on the highway in Hungary. This was followed by first places in races in Italy and Belgium. These achievements allowed him to become the season's third overall. However, skeptics were trying to humiliate him, calling his success is solely the result of the whole team, and defeat the usual Simple bad luckand mere coincidence.

Career

In 1995, having already thousands of miles away, which was progeny on the latest car, "Williams FW-17", Damon hill said that the best cars in the world simply does not exist. And his words, he almost immediately confirmed in practice, winning two stages in a row. However, then came the black strip. Spanish Grand Prix Schumacher took. Monaco failed tactics. In Canada refused hydraulics. In Germany, the hill went off the track. In Monza and Silverstone clashed with Schumacher. Very difficult season ended with defeats in Japan and Nuremberg.

Competitor

In 1996, a teammate of hill was Jacques Villeneuve. Already during the first race in Australia, the Frenchman has won the pole position. And although Damon eventually won the race, Jacques managed to come second. After that, everyone understood that serious coming season.

A Series of wins followed by streak of losses, but still Oct 13, 1996, the Briton won a long-awaited title – world champion «Formula 1». For this achievement the Queen of England awarded him the Order of the British Empire.

Navigation Arrows and Jordan in

In 1997, Damon hill, sports career, which at that time was at the peak, in Stein is the outsider of the championship – “Arrows”. The team got new sponsors and signed contracts for the supply of new motors and tires. But the hopes of the rider on the victory did not materialize. At the first stage, the car failed the pilot. After followed by five meetings in a row. First points Damon was able to win only at Silverstone. At the Grand Prix of Hungary, it would seem, the intrigue began to revive again, but a broken gearbox in the car of hill allowed him to take only second place.

However, the miracle did not happen and more in 1997 the British failed to earn any points, and in November he came into a “Jordan”.

Activities in the new team has not developed in a positive way for our hero. «McLaren» immediately put a young “stable” in place, and even technical problems have added fuel to the fire of dissatisfaction that raged in the «Jordan». However, hill managed to score a few points for the team and even put it in fourth place in the overall standings at the end of the season.

Withdrawal from the race

In 1999, Damon announced the completion of a career pilot. This is largely due to the fact that he lost all motivation, and age is affected – it was difficult for him to compete with younger riders. After the Grand Prix of Canada hill officially declared that leaves the «Formula 1», but wishes to remain in it as a consultant. The reaction of the sports community was rapid, and his bitter rival on the route German Michael Schumacher said that the departure of Damon is a great loss to motor sport, in which there was a most interesting duel.

After retiring from the post of pilot hill has not remained idle. For example, in the period 2006-2011 years he was known as President of the BRDC. In addition, he has written a lot of articles for a very well-respected in Autoworld magazine called F1 Racing. Briton became the founder of a company specializing in the leasing of machinery.